Evangelion: Deus Ex Machina
by Hatcheter
Summary: Project E suffers its first loss to the Sixth Angel. Can guidance from outside the Project proved the key to defeating an invincible enemy? (First update in 5 months)
1. Part I: Welcome to the Real World

Disclaimer: I don't own Evangelion, that's from Hideaki and Gainax.   
I don't The Matrix, that's from Brothers Wachowski and Warner .   
I don't own more than a shred of the intelligence that these three men have, but I'm trying to fuse their worlds anyway.  
  
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Part I: Welcome to the Real World

  
  
Three Years Ago:  
  
  
  
She smiled as the tall man walked into the kitchen of Her small house. "Hello, Neo. Would you be a dear and give me a hand here?" The Oracle motioned to a bowl of pasta, which he picked up.   
  
She grabbed a bowl of spaghetti sauce and led him into the dining room. Setting the bowls on the table, She gave instructions to Her students. "Go ahead and start dinner, children. I have to discuss some things with our visitor."  
  
As the kids began eating, She led Neo to the living room. Sitting down, She gave the One a visual inspection. "You look like you've been doin' alright since I last saw you," She said.  
  
Neo sat on the couch across from her. "Thank you."  
  
"How do you feel about your new place in life?" She asked.  
  
Neo shifted in his seat. "I'm still trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do. You said I would know that I was the One. I understand that, but...now what?"  
  
"Oh, don't worry yourself," the Oracle said, patting Neo's knee. "There's no script or schedule for the Prophecy. Just keep doing what you believe is the right thing. I have faith that it will work out as I've foreseen."  
  
Neo nodded. "Why did you summon me?"  
  
"Ah, down to business. Let's just say that there's an...addendum to the Prophecy. You know about Project E, right?" The Oracle waited for Neo to nod before She continued. "There's something I think you can do, here in the Matrix, to help it." 

  
  


  
  
Please make sure that you read Chapter One on the next page. Below are this would-be scribe's simple remarks.  


* * *

Author's Notes: And here is yet another effort at an Evangelion/Matrix fusion. Hopefully, you will find it worthy of the time taken to read it.  
  
This has been in development for several months now. The first draft of chapter one was written in mid-July. Since then, I have better developed the world, its history, the cast, and the plot of this story.  
  
I won't even claim to be nearly as creative, intelligent, or well read as the creators of the my subjects. Both Eva and Matrix have ideas influences that are well beyond my knowledge.   
  
As a fusion people, places, and things have to be melded into each other's world. This will be especially true of the characters. Many characters will be (basically) the same, as they were in their respective series, but some supporting characters will have expanded, diminished, or altered roles. But I won't spoil any of that here.  
  
I will attempt to keep my author notes to a minimum. Comments, questions, and even flames are welcome, and I will try to respond to anyone. Constructive criticism is most desired, as I want to improve my writing and story telling.  
  
I will start out with a midweek update schedule. This will work for the next month at least, as I have several more chapters "in the can". After that, we'll see what happens. School, work, and life tend to intrude, if you're not careful.  



	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: See Part I.   
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Chapter 1

  
  


Shinji Ikari trudged home, not hurrying to get there. All that waited for him was an empty house. He had his favorite SDAT tape running. Sometimes music was all that made life bearable.   
  
Lost in the music, he didn't pay attention to where his feet took him until he was standing in front of his father's company. Ikari Automotive occupied a small warehouse, which was both factory and offices for the small spark plug manufacturer. Shinji stared at the building for several minutes, before he slowly walked to the front door.  
  
Inside it was the tiny lobby, where the receptionist usually was. Her desk was empty, though a cheery sign declared that she would be back in five minutes. Shinji walked past it and stared at the office door. His hand clenched into a fist, and loosened, then clenched again. He held it like that for a moment, then knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in," barked a harsh voice. Shinji stepped inside and stood there, waiting for his father to notice him. The name sign on his desk was half covered with papers; he could only read his father's first name. Gendo. "What are you doing here?" the man asked, barely sparing a glance for his son.  
  
"Um...I was wondering, if you would be home tonight. For dinner. I have some information from school that I'm...supposed to show to my parents." He winced with the last word.  
  
His father continued reading the report in front of him. "No, I won't be home," he finally said. "Not until very late. I have too much to finish by Friday, so don't wait up for me. If you have anything that needs signed, leave it on the table."  
  
Shinji sighed. He had expected this. "Fine." He walked out of the office. "I stopped waiting up a long time ago," he said to the closed door. The receptionist still hadn't returned.  
  
  
  
  
He walked the sidewalk again, trying to lose himself to the music once more. His father was barely home long enough to sleep, let alone raise a son. Shinji only knew he was remembered because his allowance was on the kitchen table every Monday morning.  
  
Six months ago, he had taken his allowance and bought a ticket for the Tokyo rail line. He rode the train for more than two days, circling the city, until a police officer finally noticed him and took him home. On that second day, the school had called his father and asked why Shinji had missed consecutive days of school.  
  
He didn't see his father until the day after that. He was scolded for making a nuisance of himself. At that moment, he had decided that he had no use for his father anymore.  
  
So why was he trying to get his attention again?  
  
*Are you ready?*  
  
Shinji spun around when he heard a voice whisper to him. He looked around, but saw no one. He realized that his SDAT player was on full volume; he couldn't have heard anything that quiet. Shinji took out the earphones and looked around.  
  
*The Matrix has you.*  
  
There was a girl down the street, a block away from him. Even from the distance, he could tell she was staring at him. The girl's red eyes locked onto his, holding them him with their gaze.  
  
A rustle of wings caused Shinji to glance away. A flock of birds had taken off from a nearby phone line. He looked back to the girl, but she was gone. Shinji ran down the street, but the girl was nowhere in sight.   
  
He stared at the phone lines again. Sometimes, he imagined that he could see the electricity and data running down the wires, tiny green specks flowing inside the black line. He shook his head, and turned for home.  
  
  
  
  
Shinji sat down at his computer. It was one of the only things he really enjoyed. He started a CD of classical music, and connected to the internet. A faint smile crossed his lips. The world wide web was less secure when he was roaming it.  
  
Hacking came naturally to him. Systems always seemed to bend to his will. He hadn't ever dared to hack any major governmental systems, and usually didn't change anything he did get into. But he knew he could, if he had to.  
  
He had several new emails waiting for him, from his "friends", hackers from around the world who shared their information and tricks with him. Occasionally, he shared a few of his tricks with them.   
  
He quickly deleted the bugs attached to two of his emails. Trojans, designed to scan his computer and send information about it back to the person who sent it to him. One of the offenders would be getting a very nasty virus in return.  
  
The other offender had produced some useful information, and thought he could get some more. Shinji sent his own trojan back. As long as this one could help him, his system would be left intact. Later, though, the FBI might be receiving an anonymous tip. The hacker didn't know what country "Invincible" was in, so he certainly couldn't finger a Japanese teenager.  
  
Shinji read the email.  
  
Invincible,  
I got these out of FBI and Interpol reports. Thought   
you might be interested:  
  
  
Hacker Thomas "Neo" Anderson, reported in Boston, eludes   
police and FBI agents. One officer dead, seven others  
suffered extensive injuries.  
  
Terrorist "Morpheus" again eludes Scotland Yard   
detectives in Heathrow. Despite sealing a terminal, he   
was not captured.  
  
  
I think there's more info here. I'll need to do some   
more digging to find out though. You interested or   
not?  
Cypher  
  
  
After the second report was a fuzzy photo of a black man wearing sunglasses. Shinji squinted at it, trying to memorize the face. "So that's Morpheus," he said to himself. "Those people sure get around."  
  
  
  
  
Shinji walked across the room and picked up his cello. It was another thing he truly enjoyed. The warm, low sound filled his room. He relaxed as he played, letting the stress of school and his father bleed out with the notes. His eyes fluttered shut as his hands continued to play. He looked like he might have been asleep, but the song didn't stop until the final note, which hung in the air for a long moment afterwards. Shinji breathed a relaxed sigh, and opened his eyes.  
  
His calm was marred by a frown when he looked at his computer. An instant message window had opened, even though he was certain that the program was not running. He put his cello away and sat down at the computer again. He checked the message program. It was indeed shut off, but he had a message anyway. Confused, he finally read the message.  
  
VoiceOfSilence: Hello, Shinji.  
  
His frown deepened. He had never seen that username before. He wasn't sure what concerned him more, that this person knew his name, or that they could reach his system this easily.   
  
InvincibleTruth: Who are you?  
VoiceOfSilence: That does not matter.  
VoiceOfSilence: Are you ready?  
  
His fingers froze. The whispered question he had heard earlier echoed in his mind. That girl?  
  
InvincibleTruth: Was that you I saw?  
VoiceOfSilence: Yes.  
InvincibleTruth: How can you do this?  
VoiceOfSilence: It does not matter. I can help you.  
VoiceOfSilence: You have been looking for Morpheus   
and Neo. You are looking for the answer, which you   
think they can give you.   
VoiceOfSilence: You know the question, don't you?  
  
Shinji's breath caught in his throat. There were hints and whispers online, of secrets and strange occurrences, of something beyond any person's understanding. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, unwilling to commit the thought to words, lest it slip away from his grasp.  
  
InvincibleTruth: What is the Matrix?  
  
There was a long moment before he got a response.  
  
VoiceOfSilence: The answer is here, if you are   
ready.  
InvincibleTruth: I am ready.  
VoiceOfSilence: Almost. But we're running out of   
time. They're coming. Do not trust them.  
  
  
Shinji started when his doorbell rang. He glanced back at his monitor, and saw that the chat window had gone blank. He stared at it until the doorbell rang a second time. Rising quickly, he ran out of the room, thinking that the girl maybe wanted to speak with him in person.  
  
He opened the front door, only to find a man in a dark suit standing outside. "Shinji Ikari?" he asked.  
  
"Y-yes. Can I help you?"  
  
"I am Agent Sato. I would like to have a word with you."  
  
Shinji looked from the agent to the other two men with him. All three were dressed in identical gray suits, with sunglasses and radio earpieces. While Agent Sato was Japanese, the others where white. "Am I in trouble?" he asked.  
  
"That's what we will discuss." said the Agent, stepping into the house. Shinji stood aside so the other two could enter. As he shut the door, he heard a motorcycle engine revving, and saw a flash of long red hair flowing as the rider sped down the street.  
  
Shinji lead the visitors into the dining room. He glanced at the clock. 7:30. His father wouldn't be home for several hours.  
  
Dark clouds had moved in that evening, obscuring the setting sun. Shinji turned the dining room lights on, but the rest of the house was still cast in dark, oppressive shadows.  
  
Agent Sato sat at the table, so Shinji sat across from him. The other two agents stood at the entrance to the room. Shinji couldn't help but feel cornered.   
  
The agent pulled a large folder out of his briefcase and opened it. One glance at the contents caused Shinji's blood to run cold.   
  
"I'll be honest with you, Shinji. We know all about you, about what you do under the name 'Invincible'. A fitting nickname, as you are one of the most sophisticated and subtle hackers we've dealt with in several years. It was made even more difficult because you rarely ever did anything to your targets. It seems that you simply hacked your way in for the sake of hacking into things."  
  
The agent removed his glasses and leaned forward. "You are very talented, Shinji. It takes a master hacker to even attempt what you have done.   
  
"The penalties for your crimes can be tremendous." He leaned back and motioned to the other two agents. "My companions here are from the American FBI. They wanted me to simply punish you, or even get you extricated to the US to stand trial for your crimes against their country. But I convinced them that you could be useful to us.  
  
"There are greater dangers than a single high school student. We believe that a man named Morpheus, or members of his cell, will attempt to contact you. You may have heard of these people, but I doubt you know the extent of their crimes. Morpheus is considered the most dangerous terrorist in the world. Kidnapping, murder, and widespread destruction are their methods of operation.  
  
"If you help us, I will have your record erased. You will have a clean slate, and even get a chance to use your abilities productively." The agent leaned forward, almost pleading. "Will you help us, Shinji?"  
  
Shinji shifted in his seat. The man's gaze seemed to bore into his skull. From the doorway, the other two agents radiated menace and contempt. Shinji had conflicting urges to run, or admit that he had already been contacted. Under the table, his hand slowly tightened, and relaxed, repeating the cycle several times. Finally, he spoke. "That...that sounds like a nice deal. But I haven't been contacted."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes. And...I don't think we should be having this conversation, not without my father or a lawyer here." He sat up straighter, feeling bolder as he spoke the words. In his lap, his hands were balled into fists.  
  
Agent Sato sighed and put his sunglasses back on. "I'm disappointed, Shinji. I thought I could count on you."   
  
Shinji smiled slightly. "I have my rights."  
  
"Your rights? Your rights are meaningless, Shinji Ikari," the agnet growled. Sato stood as the other two rushed forward, grabbing Shinji by the arms and lifting him into the air. He was slammed down on the table. One of the agents grabbed his jaw and twisted his head to the left.  
  
Sato pulled a tiny cylinder from his pocket. "You will help us, Shinji, like it or not." He tapped the tip of the cylinder. A tiny red light lit on one end, and the thing seemed to grow, sprouting several short, thin tentacles. He set it on the side of Shinji's head.   
  
Shinji tried to shake it off, but the agents were holding him too firmly. He could feel the thing approaching his ear, sticking its legs inside, and pulling itself down his ear canal. He jerked and screamed, overwhelmed by pain.  
  
With one final jolt, he tumbled out of his bed. He struggled to untangle his limbs from his sheet. He lay on the floor panting, gingerly touching his right ear. Was it just a dream?  
  
He looked up at his clock. 2 am. Shinji stood and walked to the bathroom. Light snoring carried from his father's bedroom. He didn't know when the man had come home.  
  
"Was it just a dream?" he whispered to himself.  
  
In the bathroom, he splashed water on his face. Slowly, he examined his face. His ear seemed fine, and there was no pain. There weren't any bruises on his neck. The way the men had held him down, there probably should have been. "Just a dream."  
  
Shinji walked to the dining room and turned on the light. Everything looked normal, not like the room had seen a struggle earlier. He walked into the kitchen to get a drink of water. As he drank, the phone rang.   
  
He picked it up. "Hello?"  
  
A deep, warm voice answered. "Hello Shinji."   
  
"Morpheus?"  
  
"Yes. This line is tapped. Do you want to meet?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"They're pressing you. They don't understand what you are, and it could be disastrous for everyone if we don't get you out."  
  
"What...I am? What do you mean?"  
  
"Your time has grown short. Are you ready?"  
  
He swallowed. That question again. "Yes."  
  
"Go to the bus stop outside your school. Be there in 20 minutes." The other phone clicked off. Shinji stared at his phone for a moment, before rushing to his room to get dressed.  
  
  
  
  
Eighteen minutes later, Shinji slid to a stop outside his school. He bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for breath. It had stopped raining when he left his home, but it started again a few minutes before he got there. He was wet, cold, and tired. He stood under the sheltered bus stop and tried not to think about the trouble he might be getting into.  
  
A tall, black clad man walked up to him, ignoring the rain. And it seemed that the rain ignored him to, as his hair and coat remained dry. "Hello Shinji."  
  
Shinji looked at the man cautiously. That wasn't the same voice he spoke with earlier. He asked the obvious question, ignoring the fact that it could be the most dangerous. "Where's Morpheus?"  
  
"He had to prepare a few things, so I came to meet you." He walked to the bench and sat down. "My name is Neo."  
  
"Neo?" Shinji stared at him, dumbfounded. "You're Neo?"  
  
The man smiled and nodded. "Yes."  
  
"It's great to finally meet you."  
  
Neo smiled again. "I wondered if you would remember that."  
  
"Of course. I learned a lot from the email we exchanged."  
  
"Really?" asked Neo, sounding surprised. "We only communicated a few times. I don't think I could have shown you that much."  
  
"Well...you must be a better teacher than you think."  
  
Neo smiled. "Let's hope you're right." He extended his hand. In his open palm lay a silver cross necklace. "Please, put this on."  
  
Shinji picked it up and inspected it. "What is it?"  
  
"A sort of jamming device." As Shinji put it on, Neo inspected him from head to toe. Shinji felt that Neo was looking through him. Finally, Neo reached into his coat. "Hold still," he said, drawing what appeared to be a gun.  
  
Shinji jumped and backed away. "What is this? What are you doing?"  
  
"You're bugged Shinji. I need to remove it."  
  
"Bugged?" Shinji's encounter with the agents flashed into his mind. He stared at the object in Neo's hands. It looked like a pistol, but had odd attachments that no weapon would have. "What do I do?"  
  
"Sit down here, and look straight ahead." Neo instructed. Shinji did as he said, and Neo pressed the suction cup on the end of the barrel to his ear.  
  
"Um...what exactly is this bug-OUCH!" A static shock stung his ear, and Shinji was sure that his eardrum was being sucked out. He jerked away as Neo withdrew the gun, pulling off the glass tube on its end. A tiny metal cylinder with a glowing red light lay inside it.  
  
"That was real?!" shouted Shinji.  
  
Neo smiled. "Not any more." He tossed it into the street and it bounced away. They watched the red light as it faded. Neo spoke again after it went dark, answering Shinji's unspoken question. "I'm here because we need your help. You have a talent, Shinji. A very rare, special talent."  
  
"What kind of talent?"  
  
"More importantly," said Neo, turning to Shinji, "you will be able to use that talent. There are other people in the world who have the same potential you do, but they can't accept it.  
  
"Look around, Shinji. The world you know. The lie that everyone is forced to accept. But you know better. You know that there's something just beyond your senses, something you can't quite grasp."  
  
"The Matrix?" Shinji asked, not daring to breathe.  
  
"The Matrix is none of your concern." Shinji spun around to see Agent Sato and his companions approaching.   
  
Neo leapt to his feet and stepped between them and Shinji. He pulled a cell phone out and spoke into it. "We've stayed too long."  
  
Sato's eyes widened. "You!" All three agents whipped out their pistols. Shinji closed his eyes, waiting to be torn apart by bullets. He heard their gunfire, but nothing hit him. He opened his eyes to see two-dozen bullets floating in the air before Neo's outstretched hand.  
  
A black sedan raced up the street, forcing one of the agents to dive out of the way. Neo quickly stepped forward and kicked him before he hit the ground. The agent soared high through the air, landing on the bus stop and smashing it.  
  
Shinji couldn't believe what he saw. Neo and the agents fought, hand to hand, faster than humanly possible. Even though he was outnumbered, Neo clearly had the advantage. The agents couldn't even land a blow while Neo efficiently batted them aside.  
  
The back door of the sedan opened. "Get in," Neo ordered, pushing Shinji toward it.   
  
Shinji tumbled into the back seat and the car pulled away. "Wait! What about Neo?" He looked through the rear window, to see all three agents converge on Neo again. Shinji didn't understand how they could still be standing. He didn't understand a lot of what he had seen or heard this night.  
  
"He'll be fine," said the woman in the passenger seat. "He'll probably beat us to our destination."  
  
Shinji turned to look at the two people in the car. The man who drove had long hair pulled back into a ponytail, and seemed very intent on his driving. The woman had spiked, platinum blond hair, and wore an amused smirk. She was twisted toward him, and Shinji suspected that she had a gun out, hidden behind her seat.  
  
"Who are you people?" Shinji asked.  
  
"I'm Apoc," said the driver, "and this is Switch. We're part of Morpheus's crew."  
  
"Why didn't Morpheus come to meet me?"  
  
"He had to prepare some things for your arrival," said Switch.  
  
"My arrival?"   
  
"We have to...no. He'll explain it all." She glanced over her shoulder. "We're here."  
  
The car stopped at an old, run-down apartment building. Shinji looked up at the bleak facade. He was certain it wasn't the rain that made this place so dreary. He followed the two adults up the stairs.   
  
Apoc knocked on the heavy steel door marked 402. There was a scrape of metal, and it swung open. A dark-haired woman stepped back, holstering a pistol as they entered. Apoc shut the door.   
  
"Where's Neo?" asked the woman.  
  
"Toying with some Agents," answered Switch. "Is everything ready, Trinity?"  
  
"Almost." The woman turned to Shinji. "Morpheus is waiting for you."  
  
Shinji followed into a large living room. Switch and Apoc walked through a double door on one side of the room, closing it behind them.   
  
Across, the room, a tall man stood staring out the window. He turned when the door clanged shut. "Hello, Shinji."  
  
"Morpheus?" Shinji stared at the man for a moment. "Its...its an honor to meet you, sir."  
  
Morpheus offered his hand, which Shinji shook. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Shinji." He motioned to a pair of large red chairs that faced each other. They both sat, as Morpheus observed him for a moment.   
  
They turned when the metal door opened again. Neo strode into the room. "Sorry I'm late." He quietly crossed the room, and stood next to Trinity.  
  
Shinji glanced around the room. It was dusty and worn, but seemed safe. Neo and Trinity stood in front of the door to the other room. The similarity between this and his earlier meeting with the Agents struck him. But these three people were different. While the agents had radiated menace and hate, these people were...hopeful? He wasn't sure he was reading them right, but he did feel at ease in their presence.   
  
He turned back to Morpheus, who watching him intently. "Why are you here, Shinji?" he finally asked.  
  
"Neo said that I have a gift, that can help you," he answered.  
  
Morpheus smiled slightly. "Forget about what anyone else may want. Why did you decide to come here?"  
  
Shinji thought for a moment. He had wanted to meet this man for several years. He had never thought about what he would ask, believing it was impossible. After the evening's events, anything he might have asked seemed irrelevant.  
  
"I want the truth," he finally said.  
  
"Are you ready for that, Shinji?" Morpheus reached to the small table next to him and picked up a silver cigarette box. He opened it and poured something into his hand. "The path before you will be difficult, and the cost is very high. But you will know the truth, and, as they say, the truth will set you free."  
  
Morpheus leaned forward, and opened his right hand. A small blue pill lay in his palm. "This is it, Shinji. Time to decide. Take the blue pill, and you fall asleep, to wake up at home. You can think whatever you want; we won't meet again.  
  
"Take the red pill," he opened his left hand, revealing it, "and you see everything."  
  
Shinji looked at the pills for a moment. He looked up at Morpheus, whose eyes were obscured by his sunglasses. Shinji's face was reflected in both lenses, hovering over one of the pills. He raised his hand and reached forward. "Remember," said Morpheus, causing Shinji's arm to pause. "All I offer is the truth."  
  
Shinji nodded, then reached forward again. He placed the red pill in his mouth, and washed it down with the glass of water that was on the table.  
  
Morpheus smiled at him and stood. "Come with me." He led Shinji to the doorway that Neo and Trinity stood in front of. They opened it, giving Shinji their own pleased smiles. They walked into the next room, which was full of computers and equipment that Shinji had never seen before. At the center of the room was an old rotary phone.   
  
"Apoc, are we ready?" ask Morpheus.  
  
The pony-tailed man who had driven the car nodded. "We are good to go."   
  
Trinity led Shinji to a chair at the center of the room, as Neo lifted the phone and set it on an old-style modem cradle. Trinity placed a medical sensor on the side of Shinji's neck.  
  
"What is all this?" Shinji asked, curiosity overcoming him.  
  
Morpheus turned to a computer screen. "The pill you took is part of a trace program. It will disrupt your I/O signal, so we can locate you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It means stay calm," said Neo. "This will be...different."  
  
Shinji glanced around the room, suddenly worried about what was to come. Too late now, he thought to himself.  
  
He began to feel cold. It started inside him, in his chest, and quickly spread throughout his body. Before he could ask about it, a sudden pain pierced him. He grabbed at his chest, knowing it was futile. Perhaps this was what a heart attack felt like.   
  
Morpheus pulled out a cellular phone. "We're going to need a signal very soon."  
  
"We're getting a trace!" said Trinity.  
  
Shinji fell out of his chair. As the pain increased, the air was squeezed out of his lungs. He writhed on the ground, barely conscious. His vision was blurred, and growing dark around the edges.  
  
"Lock! Got him!" shouted Apoc.  
  
"Now!" said Morpheus.   
  
With a final jerk, Shinji was suddenly free of the pain and cold. His vision remained blurry, but was now pink, not black. His mind struggled to comprehend what he saw, of his own body, and the place he was in.   
  
He was in a large tube. He pushed himself up, finding his way blocked by plastic. Using all the effort he could muster, he broke through it, rising out of the liquid. He suddenly choked, and pulled a tube out of his mouth. He looked at his body. There were numerous tubs running into his chest and limbs, and he could feel more on his back, and his head. He stared at the gray towers before him, dumbfounded.   
  
Suddenly, a machine appeared in front of him, floating in the air. A huge claw sprung out of it and grabbed him by the neck. Shinji screamed as something drilled into the back of his skull. When the claw let go, he dropped back into the liquid, only to spring upright again when the other tubes on his body began breaking explosively away.   
  
The back of the tube opened, sending him down a long tunnel and into a pool of water. He struggled to stay at the surface, barely able to move his arms. Before he sank under, a light appeared in the air. A huge, mechanical hand grabbed him and lifted him up.  
  
Shinji felt cold metal lifting him, then strong human arms, as a blanket was wrapped around his body. He managed to open his eyes, and saw Neo. "Welcome to the real world, Shinji," he heard before he lost consciousness.  
  
  
  
  
Shinji woke on a bed, under a bright light. He was unable to keep his eyes open, until something blocked the light. He opened his eyes and saw two faces hovering in the air over him. One was framed by long red hair, the other's was short, and pale blue. They were the two most beautiful creatures he had ever seen. Angels?  
  
"Am I dead?" he rasped.  
  
The redhead smiled. "Far from it."


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: See Part I.   
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Chapter 2

  
  


Shinji was unable to count the passage of time. Days, at least, went by. Perhaps weeks. He woke up occasionally, still under the bright lights. Other people were there sometimes. He decided he was probably in a hospital.  
  
His senses were dull. He was occasionally aware that they were working on his body. Sometimes they worked on the things embedded in his flesh. At other times, they inserted needles into his skin, some sort of acupuncture.  
  
As time passed, he felt a bit stronger, if never more alert. He started to recognize the faces that appeared over him. Morpheus was there frequently, with a dark haired woman he didn't recognize. Neo and Trinity came often, as well. When he tried to talk to them, ask what was happening, they told him to rest, that answers would come later.   
  
He always fell asleep before they could have explained anything, anyway.  
  
  
  
  
Shinji woke with a start when a loud scrape of metal echoed in his room. His room? He sat up, and realized that he was fully clothed.  
  
Neo stepped into the room. "Good morning, Shinji. How do you feel?"  
  
"Where am I?" Shinji asked, feeling slightly dazed. Neo seemed different. Before, he had an air of invincibility. Now he seemed like an ordinary man.  
  
"You're free," Neo said, walking forward. "Come with me. Morpheus can explain it better than I can." He kneeled in front of Shinji and rolled up a sleeve on the boy's shirt. Shinji noticed that he had an IV in his arm. The needle was going into one of the round metal pieces imbedded in his skin. Neo pulled it out for him, then stood, helping Shinji to his feet.  
  
Shinji followed him out and through the metal corridor. "Is this some kind of boat?"  
  
"It's a hovercraft," said Neo. "The Nebuchadnezzar. Morpheus is the captain." He led Shinji to a ladder and motioned for him to climb first. "Up here is the main deck."   
  
Morpheus was waiting at the top, with a half-dozen other people. "And here he is," he said to the others. "Shinji, welcome aboard my ship. You've met some of my crew already." Trinity, Switch, and Apoc all greeted him.   
  
Morpheus motioned to a woman sitting in front of a bank of monitors. "That's our operator, Misato."  
  
"Hi, Shinji," said the woman.  
  
"And behind you are Asuka and Rei."  
  
Shinji turned and saw two girls, about his own age. He gaped as he recognized one of them. He pointed at the blue-haired girl, Rei. "I saw you, that day."  
  
She nodded, and smiled slightly, but did not say anything.  
  
Morpheus stepped forward and laid a hand on Shinji's shoulder. "Would you like to know the truth I promised you?"  
  
Shinji nodded. He was led to what looked like a dentist's chair, except that the headrest was partially open. "What is this?" he asked, eying it suspiciously.  
  
"This is how we connect to the Matrix," explained Trinity. With a little prodding, Shinji sat on the seat and laid back. Trinity closed a set of clamps over his feet.  
  
"This is going to feel strange," said Neo, before he stabbed Shinji in the back of the head.   
  
Shinji's back arched as pain shot down his spine. Then it was gone, and he was standing in a large white room. He spun around, looking for someone to explain this. There was nothing there; he couldn't even see any walls.  
  
"We call this the Construct." Shinji spun again and found that Morpheus was facing him, dressed in a suit. "We use it to load weapons, equipment, training programs, anything."  
  
"This is...a simulation? A computer program?"  
  
Morpheus smiled. "Correct. This is an artificial environment implanted directly into your mind." He sat down on a chair that wasn't there before Shinji's last blink. "Look at yourself, Shinji. You're hair and clothes are like they were the day we met. The plugs in your arms and head are gone. That's called residual self-image, your mind remembering your digital self."  
  
Shinji looked at his arms, seeing that they were back to normal. If that really was normal. "Is this Construct...the same as..." He felt overwhelmed, by the implications of all this. Shinji walked forward and sat in the other chair.  
  
"The same as the Matrix? Essentially, though on a smaller scale."  
  
Morpheus picked up a remote control and turned on the old TV that was in front of them. It showed aerial images of cities. "You believed that the year was 2015. It's at least two hundred years after that. I can't be more specific, because we don't know. We do know that, in the early twenty-first century, the world celebrated the birth of AI. A single entity which created a race of intelligent machines.  
  
"We don't know how it started, but humans and machines went to war. At that time, the machines depended on solar power. So we darkened the skies. This is the what the world is today." Morpheus pressed another button, and the white room was suddenly replaced by a vast gray wasteland.   
  
Shinji leapt to his feet and looked around, frantic. In the distance, twisted, broken skyscrapers jutted out of the horizon. Overhead, lightning played across dark clouds, as far as he could see.  
  
"When it happened, it was believed that the machines couldn't survive without the sun. Now they use us to survive. The human body generates over 25,000 BTUs of body heat and more bioelectricity than a 120-volt battery. The machines had all the energy they needed."  
  
As Morpheus spoke, they floated through the construct, over a huge field of strange glowing orbs, with massive machines floating overhead. "Humans are grown, Shinji, not born."   
  
Morpheus pressed a button on the remote, and the field disappeared, returning them to the big white room. "What is the Matrix? It is control. It's an artificial world, designed to turn us into these," he finished, holding up a battery.   
  
Shinji staggered as the weight of Morpheus' words hit him. Everything he had known was false, and the world he had escaped to looked to be a living hell. He stumbled, barely able to breath.  
  
Morpheus pulled out a phone. "Misato, log us out."  
  
  
  
  
Shinji found himself back in the dentists' chair. Switch pulled the rod out of his head, and he lurched off the chair and staggered across the deck. "Why..." he mumbled. "Why me...why..."  
  
"Give him some room!" shouted Misato, as Shinji fell to his knees.   
  
"Breathe, Shinji," Trinity instructed. "Just take deep breaths."  
  
On his hands and knees, Shinji did his best to comply. Rei knelt before him, placing a cool hand on his forehead. He looked in her eyes, seeing concern. Somehow, it relaxed him. He fainted, dropping his head into her lap.  
  
  
  
  
Shinji woke up in what he assumed was his room. It appeared to be the same one as before. After a moment, he realized he had company. He looked over his shoulder and saw Neo sitting across the tiny room. "What now? I can't go back." The second part was more statement than question.  
  
"Right." Neo turned to face Shinji directly. "Morpheus gave me the same presentation he gave you, about the Matrix, and the real world. Did he tell you about the situation now? Or why you're here?"  
  
Shinji shook his head.  
  
Neo nodded. He sat for a moment, thinking. "Technically, there is a cease-fire between us and the machines. Fifteen years ago, something exploded in eastern Siberia. Something that was not from Earth. We later learned that the machines had fought a battle with an extraterrestrial creature, something the machines called an Angel. Its explosion left a crater more than eight miles wide.   
  
"We learned that it was the vanguard of an alien force, massive beings capable of devastating the world. We obtained samples of the alien, some kind of bio-machine. We've been able to create weapons that can fight the Angels. We just need pilots for them."  
  
"Is that where I come in?" asked Shinji, lying on the bed.  
  
"Yes. It takes someone very special to pilot our weapons. We've been searching the Matrix for ten years, looking for suitable candidates. Rei and Asuka are the only others that have been found.  
  
"Another crew had identified you as someone whose mind should be freed. The Nebuchadnezzar was assigned to follow up on that, and see if we could initiate contact. When I saw you, I realized what you were capable of. In the Matrix, there's something intangible that sets Rei and Asuka apart from our other soldiers. You have that same quality."   
  
"What quality?"  
  
"You're mind is...more open than most, able to take in more information, faster. It will have to be so you can pilot."  
  
Shinji thought about how he had fainted earlier. "I don't know about that."  
  
Neo smiled. "You remember that presentation Morpheus gave you?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"When he gave it to me, I freaked out and threw up all over the deck. I think you're going to do fine here." Neo stood and walked to the door. "Get some sleep; you'll need it." Shinji looked up at him, confused. "You're training starts tomorrow." Neo walked out the door and shut it.  
  
Shinji lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. "Sleep? Yeah right." His mind ran through everything that he had seen that day, analyzing each part of it. Machines. Aliens. Slavery. War.  
  
Some other part of his mind wondered where he could get classical music in this world.  
  
  
  
  
Neo looked down at the girls who sat on the corridor floor near Shinji's door. "He needs his sleep girls, so don't bother him."   
  
"We won't," promised Asuka, as they smiled innocently at Neo. The man shook his head and laughed, and climbed up to the main deck. As soon as he was gone, Asuka turned to her blue-haired friend. "Is he really going to be a Pilot?"  
  
Rei's hands danced in the air, signing her answer. "Neo believes he is the Third."  
  
"He seems...dull, though." Asuka said, staring at Shinji's door for a moment. "I wonder if he can do it." She shrugged and turned back to Rei with a sly grin. "And what was with that little display up there? You like him or something?"  
  
Rei shook her head, as a faint blush played across her pale cheeks. "Father comforts me like that when I get sick."  
  
"Heh. Yeah, sure." Asuka leapt to her feat. "Let's go see if we can use the construct. I want to practice that new swords program." Rei stood and started up the ladder. Asuka shot one more glance at Shinji's door, then followed.  
  
  
  
  
Shinji wasn't startled when the heavy metal door creaked open. He did look up as the woman named Misato entered his room. "Good morning," she said. "Did you sleep well?"  
  
Shinji sat up and shrugged. "Not really." He had spent the night thinking about everything he was told. "I'm okay, though."  
  
"Well, you'll sleep tonight," Misato promised. "It's time for your training."  
  
"Oh? What do I have to learn?"  
  
"Everything."  
  
"Everything?!" Shinji exclaimed, jumping to his feet. He banged his head on the shelf over his bunk, and fell back onto it. "There...must be a ton of stuff to learn," he complained, rubbing his head. "Your technology is so far ahead of what I know..."  
  
Misato laughed. "Don't worry, Shinji. You'll be amazed at what you can do when you put your mind to it."  
  
Shinji followed Misato out of the room, rubbing his sore skull. His fingers slid across the round piece of metal at the back of his head. "What are these things?" he asked, holding his arms up so Misato could see the metal imbedded in them.  
  
"The holes? The big one on your head is for the interface into your brain. The rest drained power out of your body for the machines, and fed nutrients into you."   
  
Shinji looked at Misato, realizing what seemed different about her, versus the rest of the crew. "You don't have any?"  
  
"Nope. I'm a Native, an all-natural product of Zion."   
  
"Zion?"  
  
"Our city. A fortress, deep underground, where we can rebuild mankind. We'll be going there, soon." She turned and climbed up the ladder. "Come on Shinji, can't waste any time."  
  
  
  
  
Shinji winced as Misato pushed the link plug into his head. He sat still for a moment, as the nausea it produced passed. He glanced over at Misato, who sat at the massive operators station. She looked over and winked at him. "Let's start with something fun."  
  
Shinji glanced at the monitor over his head, and read the upside down text. "Jujitsu?"  
  
Misato grinned. "Combat training." She pressed a button on one of her screens, starting the process.  
  
Shinji's head slammed back as a wave of pure noise flooded his brain. It stopped as fast as it started, as everything he saw fell into place inside his head. "What was that?" he asked, panting.  
  
"Want some more?" asked Misato, waving another small disk in the air.  
  
"Yes. Please."  
  
  
  
  
Morpheus walked onto the main deck to see Misato stifle a yawn. "Still going at it?"  
  
Misato nodded as she changed disks. "We stopped for lunch, but it's been nonstop since then. I'm running out of stuff to give him."  
  
"Maybe we should test what he's learned," said Asuka, striding purposefully into the room.   
  
Morpheus was about to oppose her idea, when Neo's voice interrupted him. "That's sounds like a good idea. Hopefully, he'll live up to Asuka's lofty standards for Pilot material."  
  
The other's laughed as she glared at him. "Hmmp! The Oracle will decide whether or not he's a Pilot." She jumped onto the chair to Shinji's right, and glared at the adults.  
  
Rei followed Neo as he entered the room. She walked to the chair Asuka had taken. Asuka leaned back, and Rei inserted the plug into her head.  
  
"What, are we having a party here?" Misato asked the sudden crowd. She turned to her keyboard and launched the new program.   
  
  
  
  
Shinji had only been vaguely aware of the conversation around him. He was far too busy processing the wealth of information flooding his brain. He felt like his head was going to explode, it was so full of new things. And he couldn't wait to put it too use.  
  
When the Dojo suddenly appeared, he looked around in confusion. "Where...?"  
  
"This is a sparring program, which we use for training." Shinji turned and saw Asuka, dressed in a red gi. "We test our skills here, and our ability to use them in the Matrix."   
  
He looked at his own clothing, a dark blue gi, with lighter blue at the collar. "What do you mean by 'in the Matrix'?" He grew nervous when she smiled at him. It was malicious.   
  
"Hit me, if you can." She stepped into a fighting stance, which Shinji's new knowledge immediately identified. He countered with his own, a defensive stance, and waited.  
  
Asuka waited a moment, then rolled her eyes when it became apparent that Shinji was waiting for her to attack. "Fine. Be that way." She charged forward, launching a kick at Shinji's head. He barely dodged it in time, and hadn't recovered before she punched him. He staggered back under a flurry of blows to his head and body, finally launched backwards by a heavy blow to the chest.   
  
Shinji lay on the ground panting, as Asuka walked up and stood over him. "Come on, you must be better than this, for Neo to choose you!" she berated him.  
  
  
  
  
Somehow, Trinity, Apoc, and Switch had all found their way onto the main deck. Everyone was crowded around the main control panel, watching the fight on the monitors. Misato was starting to feel claustrophobic with so many people hovering over her.   
  
"She'll take him apart," muttered Apoc, watching the screen. Asuka easily batted aside Shinji's feeble attack, before kicking him across the room.  
  
"Asuka really isn't much of a teacher," said Trinity. "She doesn't know how to relate to someone who doesn't already know everything she does. Maybe we should stop this, before she scars him for life."  
  
Everyone laughed, as Misato prepared to end the program. A hand on her shoulder caused her to pause.  
  
"Or maybe we should send her some help," said Morpheus, looking at the uplink chairs. Rei was sitting down in the chair to Shinji's left, pressing the screen above it to enter her instructions. Morpheus walked over to her and picked up the plug. "You think you can help teach him?"  
  
Rei smiled and nodded.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Get up!" ordered Asuka. "You can do this, stupid."  
  
"You...you're too fast," Shinji gasped painfully. He staggered to his feet, trying to take a stance again. The last time, he was able to block her attacks for only a moment before the blows started to land.  
  
A new voice echoed through the room. "Do you think that matters in this place?"  
  
Shinji spun around. "Rei?"  
  
Rei nodded, giving him a faint smile. "The Matrix is just a system of rules."   
  
Shinji's eyes widened. He heard her soft, quiet voice, but her mouth never moved.   
  
"It's like any computer system. Some rules can be bent, and some can be broken. Here, the rules are gravity. Or speaking."  
  
"How can you do this?"  
  
"I am bending the rules here, making my voice carry straight to your mind." Rei walked forward as Shinji stood. "You can do this too."  
  
"I can? How?" Rei punched Shinji in the jaw, a viscous uppercut that flipped him into the air. "What was that for?" Shinji panted, face down on the mat. "And how are you so fast, too?"  
  
"Do you think being fast matters here?" asked Asuka.  
  
"Do you think you're really breathing?" asked Rei.  
  
Shinji looked from one girl to the other. Both stared at him intently, waiting for him to understand what they said. Shinji slowly got to his feet, and stepped back into a fighting stance, facing Asuka. "Again."  
  
A rustle of cloth was the only warning Shinji needed, as he ducked under Rei's kick. Shinji launched a series of punches, driving Rei back. A high kick forced her to jump back, where she hit a wood column and stumbled, falling to the ground.  
  
Shinji spun around to block the kick Asuka had tried to nail him with. The two traded punches, blocking each other's assault. Shinji caught her wrist and pulled, kicking her legs back as he did. The redhead flipped in the air, landing on her back.  
  
Shinji's eyes widened when he saw what he had done. "Sorry, sorry, are you okay?" He bent over, trying to help her to her feet.  
  
Asuka's shocked expression quickly changed to agitation. "Idiot! Don't apologize here!" She kicked him in the head, sending him tumbling back, before leaping to her feat. "This is training. Nothing we do in here really matters."  
  
Shinji smiled. "Fine." He launched himself off the ground and into the air, feet first. Asuka desperately blocked his kicks, backing off as fast as she could. Shinji landed, just in time to be kicked in the side by Rei. He rolled onto his back to see the girl leap into the air, arms raised and legs pulled up. She seemed to hang in the air for a moment, a dozen feet off the ground. Shinji rolled to his side, barely getting out of the way before Rei's knee smashed the wood floor. The boy leapt to his feet and faced his opponents.  
  
  
  
  
"You taught her that move, didn't you?" Switch asked Morpheus. He nodded, smiling slightly.  
  
"Have you every actually hit anyone with it?" asked Neo. Trinity gave him a quick elbow to the ribs.  
  
Morpheus ground his teeth. "Once."  
  
"Only because you pulled my shirt over my head," protested Apoc. "And I had a headache for three days after that."  
  
They continued to watch the screens. Shinji was catching on quickly, neither girl was able to land a blow anymore. He fought off their attacks, easily shifting between the two girls. In just a few moments, his neural reactions had reached the levels that the two girls showed.   
  
Morpheus smiled again. "I think the Oracle will be pleased with your choice, Neo."  
  
Neo let out a quiet, relieved sigh. He hadn't realized how worried he was about that. Trinity took his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.  
  
  
  
  
Shinji quickly backed to the center of the dojo. The girls were attacking together now, and they were coming faster. He was amazed that he could even keep up with them, let alone fight them off as well as he had.  
  
They charged him again, Rei a step ahead. When she launched a high kick, Shinji grabbed her ankle and stepped aside, using her momentum to throw her past him. He quickly twisted and blocked Asuka's punch, then countered with his own, sending her tumbling back.   
  
He spun on Rei, who was trying to attack him from behind. His arm blurred toward her, stopping a centimeter from her throat. The two stared at each other for a moment, until Asuka spoke.  
  
"I think he gets it," she said, sitting on the ground. She stood and looked upwards, expectantly. "Time for the next lesson?" she asked the ceiling.  
  
Shinji stepped back, unsure of what to expect. Both girls looked pleased, though he didn't know why.  
  
Misato's voice boomed into the room. "Loading jump program."  
  
The dojo disappeared as the new location formed around them. Shinji found himself atop a tall building, facing Morpheus. "You feel it, don't you?" he asked. "When you fought, you bent the system to your will."  
  
Shinji nodded. "I think so."  
  
"Don't think it Shinji. Know it." Morpheus turned to Asuka and Rei, who were standing patiently to the side. He nodded quickly, and they ran to the edge of the roof. Shinji gasped as they leapt off, soaring through the air. They landed on the roof of another building, a hundred yards away.  
  
"Free your mind, Shinji." Morpheus turned and ran for the edge, leaping higher than either girl had. He landed on the other roof, with an audible crack as the concrete broke under his feet.  
  
"Wow." Shinji stood and watched them, trying to work up the courage to follow. "Free my mind." He backed to the far edge of the building, to give himself a running start. "Don't run away," he whispered to himself.  
  
He took a deep breath, and ran for the edge of the roof. Arms swinging, legs pumping, Shinji knew he had never run so fast in his life. He stepped onto the edge of the roof and leapt forward with all his strength. For a second, he thought he was going to do it.  
  
Then gravity grabbed a hold of him. Shinji fell, screaming as he went down. He couldn't even form the words to curse everyone for tricking him before he hit the ground. The street gave way for him, sinking down like a trampoline, and flinging him back up. A small part of his mind noted that there was a Shinji-shaped hole in the street, just like in the cartoons. That voice joined the rest of him in groaning when he hit the now unyielding street again.  
  
  
  
  
Switch removed the plug from Shinji's head as the seat straightened. "Don't worry about it kid. Everyone falls the first time."  
  
Shinji nodded and tried to sit up, but was pushed back by a wall of pain. He rolled to his right, and managed to sit sideways on the seat. The front of his body hurt, from his shoulders all the way down to his knees. "Why does it hurt? That wasn't real."  
  
Rei stepped forward and began waving her hands in the air. Shinji knew she was using sign language, but he didn't understand it. "What's she saying?"  
  
"She says that your mind makes it real," said Asuka. "You should have had a sign program loaded during your training."  
  
Everyone turned and looked to the control panel. Misato laughed nervously and scratched her head. "I guess I forgot that one." She quickly spun around and began digging through the stacks of disks on her desk. After a moment of searching, she turned back to the group. "I, um...I seem to have lost the disk."   
  
Rei's expression dropped.   
  
"I'm sorry, Rei," continued Misato. "I don't know what happened to it. I'll get a new one as soon as we get back to Zion, I promise."  
  
Rei nodded, and stood up from her seat. She smiled slightly, and signed something to Misato.   
  
"Whaaaaaaat? I said I was sorry," whined Misato. Asuka giggled, and followed Rei down the ladder to the lower deck. Misato crossed her arms and sat back, pouting.  
  
"What did she say?" asked Shinji.  
  
Chuckling, Apoc answered. "She said she'd just keep her own disk from now on."  
  
"Ungrateful brat," muttered the pouting operator.  
  
Shinji laughed, then groaned as he felt the impact again. "How long will I hurt?"  
  
"It should pass in an hour or so," said Trinity. "Why don't you go down and rest. You're done for today."  
  
Shinji nodded, and made his way to the lower deck. He hadn't realized how exhausted he really was. He was asleep almost before his head hit the pillow.  



	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: See Part I.   
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Chapter 3

  
  


Shinji woke when a jolt shook the ship. He heard movement in the hallway outside his door. He sat up, pushing the blanket off his body, and walked across the room. He opened the door nearly bumped into Asuka.  
  
"Good morning, Third Child," she said, continuing down the corridor. A large bag was slung over her shoulder.  
  
"What's going on?" Shinji asked, seeing Rei appear from the girls' shared room with another bag.  
  
"Morpheus is throwing us off," Asuka said angrily.  
  
Rei's hands danced in the air as she shook her head.   
  
Asuka grumbled. "Yeah, yeah. He's sending us back to Zion, supposedly for our protection. The captain says that we're too valuable to risk in the Matrix unnecessarily."  
  
"But you got to go there in order to get me out?"   
  
While they were talking, Asuka had set her bag down and walked back up the corridor. She disappeared into her room, and came back out with another bag over her shoulder. "Yes. We convinced them that, as the current pilots, we should be able to meet you and make sure that you were decent pilot material." She dropped her bag and started up the corridor again.  
  
"Well am I?"  
  
"Pilot material? I don't know. But you don't seem like a total idiot, so we'll give you a chance."  
  
Shinji looked up the corridor, where Rei was standing. She smiled and rolled her eyes. Shinji didn't have to know sign language to know what Rei meant by twirling her fingers around the side of her head. "She's crazy."  
  
Asuka reappeared from her room with another large bag. She dropped it next to her other two and sat down. "Whew. That's everything."  
  
"You sure about that?" asked Trinity, climbing down the ladder. "It would be terrible if you forgot something."  
  
Asuka crossed her arms and pouted as Trinity walked toward the girls. "The Logos will be here in a minute. They're returning from a patrol, and Captain Niobe was gracious enough to come out of her way and meet us."  
  
Trinity pulled a large lever, and the wall behind Rei and Asuka opened. They were all hit with a blast of cold, stale air. Shinji walked forward and stepped out onto the ramp. He looked around. The ship was parked in some kind of tunnel, which was lined with huge pipes. "Where are we?" he asked.  
  
"These are the old service and sewer systems," answered Trinity. "They ran for hundreds of miles, under and between the great cities."  
  
Any further questions Shinji might have asked were drowned out by a loud hum and cracks of thunder. He looked up and saw another ship fly over the Nebuchadnezzar. It was almost fish shaped, with numerous glowing disks extending off it in various directions. The ship turned and landed, its bow facing the Neb.  
  
Morpheus came down the ladder and stood next to Trinity, hands clasped behind his back. "Are you okay?" asked Trinity.  
  
Morpheus stared straight ahead. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"  
  
Trinity smiled slightly. "Here they come."  
  
The ramp of the other ship had opened and two figures walked out, crossing the short distance to the Nebuchadnezzar. Shinji observed them as they approached; they were the second set of people he had encountered since his freeing. A black woman and Asian man, they were dressed in the same loose, warm clothing that the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar wore.  
  
"Hi, Niobe!" shouted Asuka as they got close. The woman waved to her, but didn't speak until she had stepped onto the ramp.   
  
"Captain Morpheus, the Logos is at your disposal," she said.   
  
"Thank you for helping us, Captain Niobe. I understand that this may delay your return to Zion." Morpheus said, choosing his words.  
  
"Commander Lock won't have any issue with a slight delay in our return." The two captains stared at each other for a moment. Shinji could feel an unspoken tension between them.   
  
Asuka might have too, because she glanced between them, and then broke it. "He'd better not have a problem, since you came to pick us up. As Morpheus said, we're too valuable to risk unnecessarily."  
  
"Of course, Asuka," said Niobe, smiling slightly. "Ghost, will you help them get back to the Logos? I need to discuss a few things with Morpheus and Trinity."  
  
The man called Ghost nodded, then eyed the stack of bags. "Are all of these yours?" he asked Asuka.  
  
The redhead put her hands on her hips. "Of course not! The small one there belongs to Rei."   
  
Ghost picked up two of the bags, slinging one over each shoulder. Shinji noticed that he had left the largest bag for Asuka to carry. He wondered if Ghost had done that on purpose; Shinji would have.  
  
"You packed everything you owned again, didn't you?" asked Ghost, walking down the ramp.  
  
"No!" shouted Asuka, hefting her own bag and following him. "I left over half my belongings in Zion! I just hope that..."  
  
Shinji ignored the rest of the conversation, noticing that Rei had not followed yet. She turned to Morpheus and raised her right hand, waving to him. She then touched her thumb to her temple, with her open palm facing forward. Finished talking, she stepped forward and hugged Morpheus tightly.   
  
The tall man returned her hug. "Behave yourself, Rei," he said. "Do what Niobe and the others tell you to."  
  
Rei nodded, then turned and walked down the ramp, hurrying to catch up with the others.  
  
Morpheus turned to Niobe. "What did you have to tell us?"  
  
"Four days ago, our operator called us out of the Matrix. Sparks had detected a dozen Sentinels, patrolling as a single group."  
  
"A dozen?" asked Trinity. "They never put so many together."  
  
"They were together this time. Before we could try to escape, or even charge the EMP, they were on us. They flew right by, with only one pausing long enough to inspect us."  
  
"The Sentinels fulfilled their end of the treaty?" Morpheus smiled. "It's about time."  
  
"The thing is," continued Niobe, "we were broadcasting. Surely, they could detect that, but they let us be."  
  
"Something may be happening then," said Trinity.  
  
Morpheus nodded. "Time is getting short. We will be contacting the Oracle when we get to broadcast depth. I'll see what She can tell us."  
  
Niobe agreed. "I'll tell all this to Commander Lock and the other captains. We'll see if anyone else has had similar experiences." She turned and walked down the ramp. "Good luck, Morpheus."  
  
"Take care of them," he called as the ramp closed.  
  
"I hope we'll be as fortunate as the Logos," said Trinity.  
  
"Perhaps." Morpheus turned and walked up the corridor. "We should get to broadcast depth as quickly as possible. If Niobe is correct, it should be easy to find a good broadcast position."  
  
Shinji had followed them up the corridor. "Trinity? Um..." He had several questions, but one drove his curiosity.  
  
She turned to him as Morpheus climbed the ladder. "Yes?"  
  
"What did Rei sign to Morpheus, before she left?"  
  
"She said 'goodbye, father'."  
  
  
  
  
A few hours later, the Nebuchadnezzar had reached a broadcast position and landed. They hadn't encountered any Sentinels, and Shinji was sure that that was a good thing.  
  
He found himself lying in one of the chairs again, with the metal rod in his head. After having been connected a few times, it didn't hurt, though it was still a disturbing sensation.  
  
Shinji noticed for the first time that there were seven of these chairs, arranged in a semi-circle around the Operator's panel. Only one was empty. Neo, Morpheus, Trinity, Switch, and Apoc occupied the rest.   
  
Misato inserted the plug into Apoc's head, then ran back to her post. "Please keep your hands and arms inside the ride while it is in motion," she announced jovially. "Let's go!" She pressed a button on one of her screens, and all six were jacked in.  
  
  
  
  
Shinji found himself in a large, old room, similar to the one he had first met Morpheus in. An old phone sat in the middle of the room, ringing loudly. Morpheus picked it up. "We're in."  
  
The six quickly descended the stairs and reached a door. Morpheus stepped out and looked around, then turned back to the group. "Apoc, Switch..."  
  
"I know," interrupted Apoc. He smiled whimsically. "We stand guard here."   
  
Morpheus smiled and nodded. "We'll be back shortly." He walked to a large sedan, and drove it to the door. Neo and Trinity emerged from the building, leading Shinji to the car. He climbed in back with Neo, while Trinity took the front passenger seat.  
  
Shinji stared out the window as the car drove. "Where are we?" he asked after several miles.  
  
"This would be Chicago, if it were real," said Neo.  
  
Shinji continued to stare out the window. "Where are we going?"  
  
"We're taking you to the Oracle. She will show you your path."  
  
Shinji turned from the window. "My path?"  
  
Neo nodded. "What you are meant to do."  
  
Shinji turned back to the window. "That would be nice to know," he mused.  
  
The car stopped at a large, old building. Neo opened his door to get out, but turned back when he realized Morpheus hadn't moved from behind the wheel. "You're not coming?" he asked.  
  
Morpheus shook his head. "I think that the Oracle does not need to see me. It is more important that you two speak to Her. She will tell you anything I need to know."  
  
Neo nodded and stepped out of the car, followed by Shinji. "Who is this Oracle?" Shinji asked.  
  
They walked into the building and onto a waiting elevator. "She is our advisor, our guide. She has helped the resistance since the very beginning." At the top floor, they exited the elevator. Neo led Shinji down the hall. "I'm not sure what She'll have to say to you, but you can trust whatever She tells you."  
  
Neo opened the apartment door and stepped aside, letting Shinji enter first. He walked into a small, cozy apartment. While the walls outside where covered in graffiti and dirt, the interior was clean and neat.   
  
A tall black woman walked from another room to greet them. "Hello, Neo. Welcome back. Is this the boy?"  
  
Neo placed a hand on Shinji's shoulder. "Yes. This is Shinji Ikari."  
  
"I will tell the Oracle that you are here." She turned and walked out of the room.  
  
Shinji quickly looked around. There were a half dozen children in the apartment's living room, mostly younger than him. Most of them regarded Shinji and Neo with curious stares. Two who appeared to be closer to his age, however, didn't even acknowledge their presence, engrossed in some sort of game.  
  
Both sat on the floor, legs crossed. The girl, who had short, blond hair, passed a spoon to the bald boy in front of her. Shinji's jaw dropped when, under the boy's intense gaze, the spoon bent, twirling around like a leaf in the wind. It snapped back upright, and the boy released it. The spoon floated upwards, slowly turning in the air over his hand. After a moment, it floated back down to his open palm.

The boy handed the spoon back to the girl. She frowned momentarily, then tossed the spoon into the air. It hung there for a moment, before it began spinning rapidly, dancing in figure eights before her.  
  
Not content with that, the girl stretched a hand toward a small cage near her. A white mouse lifted into the air and floated to the center of the room, between the two children. The spoon orbited around the mouse, which was surprisingly calm, like it was used to this treatment.   
  
"Saga!" Shinji started, and turned to see that the woman had come back into the room. "You know you are not allowed to manipulate the pets like that."  
  
The girl grabbed the mouse out of the air and held it, lowering her head. "Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry."  
  
The woman turned to Shinji. "The Oracle is waiting for you. This way, please."   
  
As Shinji followed the woman out of the living room, he glanced back at the two kids. The girl looked up, and flashed him a mischievous grin. She quickly floated the mouse to the boy across from her, who caught it before it latched onto his face.  
  
Shinji followed the woman to the kitchen. Another, older woman was there, sitting on a stool. He found himself under another visual inspection, though he felt that this woman was reading his mind, too.   
  
"You look about like I expected, Shinji," She finally said, smiling. "I doubt you'll say the same about me."  
  
Shinji shrugged slightly. "Well, nothing has been like I expected, since I was freed."  
  
"That's what everyone says, at first." She leaned forward, lowering Her voice to a near whisper. "But your experience will be very different."  
  
"You mean...the gift, that Neo told me about?"  
  
Instead of answering, the Oracle turned to the over. Grabbing two oven mitts, She opened it, and removed a small cake pan. "This looks good, doesn't it?"  
  
Shinji nodded, not sure if She had missed his question.  
  
"We're having a going away party tonight for some of the potentials. They will soon be freed from the Matrix. You remember the red pill you took? This cake is the same thing. It will only be eaten by the children who are ready to leave my home."  
  
"Is there a blue pill for them?" Shinji asked.  
  
The Oracle set the cake pan on the counter, letting it cool. "These children have already made their decision. They don't need one.   
  
"I've baked many of these cakes over the years. I wish I could have made one for you. You asked about you gift, Shinji? You do have a very special, rare power. You're only the third child we've found with this power.  
  
"Rei and Asuka each have gifts like yours, and the same burden to bear. But I see it weighing heaviest on you. In the end, you may have to bear it alone. Let Morpheus and the others help you, as well as they can. The time will come when they will depend on you more than you depend on them."  
  
  
  
  
After Shinji left, the Oracle turned to Her cake. It had cooled enough that She could begin to spread the frosting on it. "Hello, Neo." She smiled as the One entered Her kitchen. "I'm impressed. I didn't expect you to find the boy so quickly."  
  
"So he is the one you wanted?" Neo asked.  
  
"It's not that I wanted him in particular. Unlike you, what the Children are, and are capable of, is not so well defined. To identify one, we have to meet them in person."  
  
"You didn't expect them," Neo said. It was a statement, not a question.  
  
The Oracle stopped working on the cake, and stared out the kitchen's window. "No, I did not. What has happened is beyond anything I anticipated. These Children are the only salvation for all life, human or machine."  
  
"How much time do we have?"  
  
"None. Everything will change, in here and out there. You've heard of it already, no doubt. The Sentinels are backing off, preparing to fight another enemy.  
  
"Here in the Matrix, the Agents are getting worse. They're pushing harder to catch every rebel who connects. They're getting closer to me, too. I'll be leaving here in a few days, relocating. Another crew will be picking up several of the potentials, and the rest will come with me."  
  
"How can we contact you?" asked Neo.  
  
The Oracle finished spreading the frosting. "I will contact you, when it is time. Look after those Children, Neo. They're far stronger, and far more fragile, than they seem."  
  
"I will," Neo promised. He turned and walked out of the kitchen.  
  
  
  
  
In the living room, Neo found Shinji under the intense interrogation of the young blond girl. "What's it like, getting out?" she asked.  
  
Shinji searched for words to explain. "I guess it's like...waking up, from the deepest sleep ever."  
  
The girl shook her head. "No, I mean, what exactly happened? I want to know for when my time comes."  
  
"You'll get your chance soon enough, Saga," Neo said, with an amused smile.   
  
"But I don't want to wait any longer," she pouted, walking away.  
  
Shinji followed Neo out of the apartment, and into the elevator. "Do most of you live with the Oracle first?" he asked, pressing the button to take them to the lobby.  
  
"No, very few do, actually. Most..." Neo paused, and quickly looked around. He pulled a cellular phone from his pocket and hit speed dial.   
  
"Operator."  
  
"Misato, tell Morpheus to get over here quickly. Agents have come."  
  
"Agents?! We'll have you two out in no time."  
  
"No! Get Shinji out. I've got to keep them occupied, and draw them away from the Oracle."  
  
Misato was silent for a moment. "Copy."  
  
Neo hung up the phone and grabbed Shinji's collar when the elevator doors opened. He quickly dragged the boy into a nearby alley, and shoved him into a pile of trash bags. "Stay here until Morpheus arrives, and then go with him."

"What about you?" asked Shinji, frightened.

"I can handle the Agents. Stay quiet." Neo put a large piece of cardboard over Shinji, then ran to the other end of the alley.  
  
He stopped and turned back, facing the alley's entrance. Three Agents stepped around the corner, striding toward him. Neo held his breath as they reached Shinji's hiding place. They passed it, unaware that the boy was there.  
  
The Agents stopped, facing the black clad man. The lead Agent spoke. "We meet again, Mister Anderson. You're not going to walk away this time."  
  
"Do you think you can stop me, Smith?"  
  
The Agent sneered at him. "I killed you, Mister Anderson. I shot you in that hallway, but you didn't stay dead. You stood back up and answered that phone. There's no exit waiting for you now. I intend to correct my mistake."  
  
All three Agents drew their pistols, firing at Neo. He calmly raised a hand, stopping the bullets with an invisible barrier. Smith growled and tossed his weapon aside, rushing down the alley. The other Agents holstered their weapons and followed Smith's charge.   
  
They flung themselves at Neo, attacking with feet and fists. Neo met and countered every blow, easily tossing the Agents away. The four fighters moved faster than Shinji could see, leaping off walls and high into the air. Neo caught one of them in the air with a vicious kick, sending the Agent flying down the alley. He crashed down on Shinji's hiding place and leapt back to his feet, unaware of the poor boy who had nicely broken his fall.  
  
The black sedan screeched to a halt, with Trinity leaning out of the passenger side window. "Shinji, get in!" she yelled. Shinji climbed out of the garbage pile and ran forward, yanking the door open.  
  
"Stop them!" shouted Agent Smith, just before Neo kicked him. His impact added another agent shaped dent to the brick wall. One of the other agents turned and ran back up the alley. He was half way to the car when Trinity raised a submachine gun. The agent slid to a halt and dodged the bullets, blurring as they passed him. He was to busy dodging to notice Neo coming up behind him, until Neo's foot connected with his head. The agent added yet another dent to the wall.  
  
"GO!" Neo shouted, grabbing another Agent before he could leap on the car. Morpheus jammed the accelerator down, pulling away as Neo turned and punted the agent back down the alley.  
  
"He'll be okay, right?" asked Shinji.   
  
"Of course," said Trinity, setting the gun down on the floor.  
  
"They're too close," said Morpheus, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "They mustn't find the Oracle."  
  
"The Oracle seemed to be getting ready to go some where," said Shinji. "She was sending some of the children away, she said."  
  
Morpheus let out a relieved sigh. "Of course. She would expect it, wouldn't she?"  
  
  
  
  
Shinji sat up after Switch removed the plug from his head. He realized that he had barely felt it go out. Perhaps he was getting used to it.  
  
Apoc removed the plugs from Morpheus and Trinity. "How is he doing?" Morpheus asked, as soon as it was out.  
  
"He's toying with them," said Misato. "Neo's led the Agents almost two miles away from the Oracle's place."   
  
The others crowded around her console, staring at the text covered screens. "You can tell that?" Shinji asked, confused by the flow of information.   
  
Apoc nodded. "That's the code of the Matrix. It's too complex to be viewed any other way."  
  
A small light on the desk began flashing. Misato frowned and hit a few keys, and one of the side screens was replaced with a text message. Morpheus' frown grew deeper than the Operator's as he read it. "Call him in," he said, walking to the forward ladder of the ship.  
  
Misato tapped a few buttons, and, a moment later, she was talking to Neo. "Operator."  
  
A few kicks were heard before Neo responded. "Yes?"  
  
"We need you back here, right now," she said.  
  
"Right, where's the nearest exit?"  
  
"There's a pay phone in the Sheraton lobby, twelve blocks east of you."  
  
"On my way."  
  
Misato pressed a button on her console, disconnecting the call. She leaned back and put her hands behind her head. "We'll just wait for him, and then we'll be on our way."  
  
"Wow!" exclaimed Apoc. "I haven't gotten used to that.  
  
Shinji glanced at the others, seeing similar expressions of surprise on there face. "What? What is it?"  
  
"Neo is flying again," Misato explained, eyeing the screens suspiciously.  
  
  
  
  
Neo climbed the ladder to the Nebuchadnezzar's cockpit. Morpheus and Trinity were there, planning their course. "What's going on?" he asked.  
  
Morpheus pointed to a small screen. "Orders from Zion. We're to rendezvous with the Casper, and help them prepare for combat operations."  
  
Neo stared ahead, watching the tunnels soar by. "She said we were out of time."  
  
Morpheus nodded.


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: See Part I.   
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Chapter 4

  
  


Shinji climbed the short ladder to the Nebuchadnezzar's cockpit. Walking though the ship, he could feel gentle motion, which he assumed were light turns and banks it took. He was amazed to see the tunnels twisting wildly around the ship as it flew.  
  
The two seats in the cockpit were occupied by Misato and Apoc. "Shinji, what are you doing here?" the woman asked.  
  
"I couldn't sleep," he answered, stifling a yawn. "Where are we going?"   
  
"We're taking you to another ship."  
  
"Me? Why?"  
  
The two adults were quiet for a moment. "An Angel has arrived," said Misato.  
  
"The aliens?" Shinji asked. "Will I have to fight them?"  
  
"I hope not," said the woman.  
  
"The machines will attack it first," explained Apoc. "If they can't take it out, then we get involved."  
  
"Aren't the machines our enemy?"  
  
"The Angels don't discriminate between us and them. As long as they attack, our war is on hold."  
  
Misato turned from her controls. "We've got over four hours until the meeting, Shinji. You should sleep."  
  
The boy nodded, and climbed down the ladder. He tried to process this new flood of information. Shinji climbed into his bed and closed his eyes, falling asleep immediately. Information overload seemed to have that effect on him.  
  
  
  
  
After what seemed a few minutes of fitful sleep, Shinji was gently shaken awake. "Wake up, Shinji," said Morpheus. "We're almost there."  
  
Shinji sat up and rubbed his eyes. He didn't feel well rested, but he knew he could function. He pushed to his feet and staggered out the door after Morpheus. His legs were still asleep, and threatened to dump him on the floor at any moment.   
  
Somehow, Shinji made it up the main ladder. Morpheus had joined Neo, Apoc, and Misato around the main console. The screens were full of data and video feeds, not the usual code of the Matrix.   
  
Morpheus pressed a button on the console. "Trinity, how long until we dock?"  
  
"Twelve minutes," she answered, by way of the speaker in the console.  
  
Shinji stared at the screens. Of all the things he had seen so far, this was the most incredible, and the most disturbing. The various video images showed machines battling a monster. There was no other term for it. The thing was huge, a towering, lumbering monstrosity that easily batted away the attacking machines. Its odd beaked face was set between huge shoulders. Its arms were long and slender, but held some kind of huge piston in the palms, which it used like a battering ram to smash anything caught in its hand.  
  
"What is that?" Shinji breathed, dreading the answer.  
  
"That is an Angel," answered Morpheus. "The common enemy of man and machine." He waved his arm toward the screens that showed the battle. "Most of this video is coming to us from the machines, who are transmitting it openly for us. If they cannot destroy the Angel, we will try to."  
  
"Is that thing why I'm here?" he asked. "I'm supposed to fight that?"  
  
Neo turned to him. "You have the ability, Shinji. You have the strength the fight it."  
  
"My gift?" he snorted.  
  
"Yes. Just believe in yourself."  
  
Misato gasped and pointed at a screen, which showed the machines quickly pulling away from the Angel. "They're firing an N2 mine!"  
  
Morpheus quickly hit the comm button. "Trinity, take us down, now!"  
  
"Roger," she said.   
  
"There, land there," said Switch, whose voice carried through the speaker.  
  
"Shockwave incoming!" shouted Trinity as the ship dropped in altitude. It was rocked violently, and slammed down to the ground. Shinji fell flat on the deck. The others managed to keep their feet, though they were roughly shaken. Misato's headset clattered on the floor under her seat.  
  
"Are you okay, kid?" asked Apoc, helping Shinji to his feet.  
  
"Yeah," he winced, looking around. The lights in the ship were flickering, and the console screens had gone out. After a moment, they appeared to boot up again.  
  
"No EMP damage to the core," Misato announced after a moment.   
  
"Morpheus pressed the comm button again. "Trinity, how long until we're flying again?"  
  
The speaker hissed static for a moment before she answered. "The hover pads are scrambled from the shockwave. It will take about three minutes for them to recycle."  
  
"Once they're online get us back up." He released the button and turned to Misato. "Contact the Casper, tell them we're close. See if they sustained any damage."  
  
She nodded and slipped her headset back on. "Nebuchadnezzar to Casper. Come in, Casper."  
  
Static crackled for a moment, before a man's voice cut through. "Neb, this is Casper. Is that you, Missy?"  
  
Misato's eye twitched. "Yes, Dozer, it's me. Are you guys okay over there?"  
  
"It got a little exciting when the blast wave hit, but we're fine. Unit 01 was not affected, as far as we can tell. When will you be here?"  
  
"About eight minutes."   
  
"Roger. See you then, Missy. Casper out."  
  
Misato's eye twitched again. "You should get that looked at," said Apoc.   
  
"Shut up," she hissed at him.  
  
Morpheus turned to his crew. "Get Shinji ready to transfer over." He quickly climbed the ladder to the cockpit.   
  
Shinji turned to Misato. "Missy?"   
  
Misato sighed. "Dozer and I have known each other since we were little kids; I used to play with him and his brother all the time. Dozer always called me that. Still does, though I keep telling him to stop."  
  
Shinji smiled slightly. He hadn't wanted to ask what the transfer would involve. Those things never seemed easy here. Neo led him down the ladder, with Misato and Apoc following.   
  
"Hold on to something," said Misato, as they reached the door. Neo reached up and grabbed a beam over his head, while Apoc grabbed a handle on the wall. Both men grabbed one of Shinji's shoulders, keeping him firmly in place.  
  
Misato pulled a lever next to her, and the door swung down. Shinji gasped as a blast of cold air hit him, threatening to throw him back into the ship. The Neb swung around, and Shinji caught his first glimpse of the Casper. The massive, boxy ship hovered a hundred feet off the ground, held aloft by the rows of hover pads. An occasional lightning bolt sparked from one of the pads down to the ground.  
  
All four people jumped when a bolt of electricity arched from the Neb to the Casper, as two hover pads came close enough to exchange electricity. They were soon deafened by roaring thunder as more pads began trading electrons, until the Neb landed on the Casper's wide, flat top. Docking clamps quickly rose from the larger ship, securing the Neb in place, and grounding it to the bigger ship.   
  
"Come on!" Misato shouted, though it sounded muffled and distant to the others. Neo pulled Shinji along, quickly dragging the boy to an opening hatch on the roof. A short, broad shouldered man held it open, letting the others enter. As soon as Apoc was in, he pulled the door shut.   
  
"Welcome aboard the Casper," he said. "We're all ready for you guys. Follow me." He quickly led them down several flights of stairs, answering questions as they went.   
  
"What is the status of the target, Tank?" asked Misato.  
  
"It's regenerating right now," ha answered. "The machines' N2 mine only stunned it."  
  
"The Unit was unaffected?" asked Neo.  
  
"As far as we can tell. But we won't know until some one gets in and we turn it on."  
  
"That's not very reassuring," grumbled Misato as they walked into a dark corridor.  
  
"It will be fine," said another voice. A blond woman appeared out of the shadows, walking towards them. "We wouldn't be here if we didn't believe we can win."  
  
"I hope you're right," said Misato. "Why's it so dark in here?"  
  
"We had to reroute some power when the EMP hit us. The hanger lights were less important at the time. Tank, could you turn them back on now?"  
  
The Operator nodded, grabbing a remote control that was attached to his suspenders. He pressed a button, and the lights overhead flickered to life. The crew from the Neb gasped at the giant face suspended in the air over them.  
  
"Whoa," Neo breathed, summing things up for all of them.  
  
"What...is that thing?" Shinji asked.  
  
"Evangelion Unit 01," the woman announced. "Our weapon for fighting the Angels."  
  
Shinji stared at it for a moment. "You...expect me to pilot it?"  
  
"Yes, you are one of the Children," answered the blond.  
  
"How? I've never seen anything like this before. I won't know what to do out there..."  
  
"You can do it, Shinji," interrupted Neo. "This is the gift you have."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
Neo placed both hands on the boy's shoulders and leaned forward. "I know it doesn't make sense. Trust yourself, Shinji. You can do this."  
  
Shinji stared Neo in the eyes, trying to borrow the man's confidence. After a moment, he nodded. "I'll do it."  
  
"Thank you," said Neo.   
  
"Come with me, Shinji," said the blond. "The rest of you can watch from the Command Bridge. Misato, your help there would be appreciated."   
  
Misato nodded, and led her crewmates through one door. The blond turned back to Shinji. "Let's get you ready. I'm Doctor Ritsuko Akagi; I helped design and build the Evas."  
  
"What is the Eva?" asked Shinji, staring up at the huge face again.   
  
"To put it simply, it is a biologic combat machine." She turned and motioned to a ladder. "Come this way, Shinji."  
  
He followed her up the ladder, with the man called Tank behind him. Once again, he realized how nothing here was what he expected. Fear and excitement battled within him. By the time he finished climbing, they had settled on giving him a queasy stomach.   
  
He was on a catwalk, looking out over the broad, angular back of the purple Eva. The armor layers overlapped, and formed an odd ridge down the spine of the machine. Between the shoulder blades, the armor was retracted, and large white cylinder stuck up.   
  
Ritsuko pulled a door open and pointed him in. "Undress, and put on the blue suit in the drawer," she commanded. Shinji walked into the tiny room, barely larger than a locker. It was tight, but he managed to change from the sweater and pants to the odd rubber suit he found. It hung loosely on him, with the extra material bunching around his wrists and ankles. He stepped out of the room and looked for Ritsuko. "Um, is this right, Doctor?"  
  
"Press the button your left wrist."  
  
Shinji found the button and pressed it. With a hiss of air, the suit pulled tight around him, fitting his whole body snugly. "Whoa."  
  
"That's about what the girls said when they got their suits." Shinji turned and saw a gray haired man descend a steep staircase. He looked Shinji up and down, sizing the boy up. "You understand what you must do?"  
  
Shinji nodded. "I think so, sir. I'm supposed to drive this thing out there and somehow destroy that monster."   
  
The man frowned, but nodded. "Basically, yes. We'll be supporting you from here, and will guide you through the battle."  
  
Shinji nodded again, tugging the collar of his suit. He would say he couldn't believe this was happening to him, but this was just one more item on the list of unbelievable things he had seen. He didn't have as much hope of surviving this one, though. If he did, he'd complain about this tight collar. It seemed almost as likely to kill him as the Angel.  
  
Tank led Shinji to a catwalk that stretched out over the Eva's back. He motioned for the boy to go first. The catwalk ended at the white cylinder. As they reached it, a hatch opened up, revealing the pilot's seat inside. Shinji looked over his shoulder questioningly. Tank simply nodded, so Shinji climbed in.   
  
Tank leaned in and helped Shinji get acclimated. "This is the Entry Plug, which is basically the cockpit for the Eva. You can control this thing like it's your own body."   
  
Tank pressed a few buttons on the side of the large seat, and restraints moved into position, locking down at Shinji's shoulders, hips, knees, and elbows. Another set of pads extended on either side of his head, clamping it into place.   
  
"How am I supposed to look around if my head is locked in like this?" Shinji complained. In answer, he got the stabbing sensation as a plug was shoved into the back of his head again. He winced as it went in.  
  
Tank apologized. "Guess I should have warned you about that. You'll be interfaced directly with Unit 01, just like when you connect to the Matrix. We won't turn it on until we're ready to activate the Eva." Tank leaned out the hatch and stepped back. "Just sit tight for now, Shinji. We'll have you out there kicking Angel butt in no time."  
  
"No hurry," Shinji muttered to the closing hatch. He closed his eyes and waited for the worst.  
  
  
  
  
While Shinji waited inside the Eva, the others quickly climbed to the ship's highest deck.  
  
"Are you sure about this, Kouzo?" asked Ritsuko.  
  
The man's face was determined, but grim. "The Oracle believes in the boy, as does Neo. The other two are too far away; we no choice but to rely on him."  
  
They entered the ship's command room, occupied by a series of control panels and a large hologram projected in the front half of the room. Tank ran down a staircase and through the hologram, quickly entering the ship's cockpit.  
  
Ritsuko walked behind the three occupied control panels. Misato had taken position on the right one, with the other two manned by the Casper's own crew. Kouzo Fuyutsuki stood behind her, overseeing the process, while Neo and Apoc waited at one side of the room, tensely observing the boy's ordeal.  
  
"Connect to the Entry Plug," Ritsuko ordered.   
  
Shinji's image appeared on a screen on Misato's panel. Inside the Eva, he saw Ritsuko on one of the two small displays mounted over the handle grips. "We're going to begin activation, Shinji."   
  
He nodded in response, wincing as the plug in the back of his head wiggled slightly.   
  
"Dozer, insert the Entry plug," Ritsuko ordered.   
  
The man in the middle seat nodded. At the press of a button, the white plug screwed into the Eva's back. "Plug inserted, armor closed."  
  
"The Plug has nerve connection with Eva," said the third man.  
  
"Inject LCL."  
  
"In progress," said Dozer.  
  
They watched the monitors as Shinji realized that the liquid was filling the Plug. "Hey, what is..." he asked, before his head was covered.  
  
"Breathe it in, Shinji, it's oxygenated," said Ritsuko. The boy shook his head and continued to hold his breath. They were forced to wait for him to "drown", when he could no longer hold his breath. Shinji thrashed against his restraints as his lungs filled with the liquid. It took a moment for him to relax, as he realized that he was still alive. Terror was quickly replaced by queasiness.   
  
"Hang in there, kid," said Misato, reading his expression. "You'll get used to it soon."  
  
Shinji's glare said he didn't believe her.   
  
"Distance to target?" Ritsuko asked.   
  
"Thirty kilometers," answered Dozer.   
  
The woman pressed a button on his panel. "Tank, get us within six thousand meters of the Angel."  
  
"Roger," came the reply though a small speaker.  
  
"Shigeru, begin the neural connection."   
  
"Yes, ma'am." The third occupant of the control system quickly entered the commands, and the Eva was brought to life.  
  
  
  
  
Shinji tried to keep his breathing steady, as the liquid flowed in and out of his lungs. The feeling was sickeningly unnatural, and it took all his willpower not to throw up. The thought of breathing in his own vomit was enough encouragement to keep his stomach under control.  
  
He looked down at the screen when Ritsuko Akagi spoke again. "We're going to initialize the connection between you and Eva." The boy nodded, his only response with liquid filling his throat. "Try to relax your mind; open it."  
  
He was suddenly hit with a wall of sensation, as sounds and images overlapped in his brain. It was like and unlike the training he had gone through on the Neb. A constant flow of information went straight to his mind, and he struggled to comprehend it. He instantly had a vicious headache.  
  
The voices of the Casper's crew all carried to him, surprisingly clear.  
  
"Synchronization is sky rocketing."  
  
"Pilot's perception is unstable."  
  
"Give him a chance to adjust!"  
  
"Reduce the input."  
  
"Cutting back the sources."  
  
"He's stabilizing."  
  
"Synchronization level steady at...incredible! Forty-three percent!"  
  
"Shinji, you there?"  
  
Shinji blinked, as the headache and dizziness faded from his mind. "Yes, Misato."  
  
"How do you feel?"  
  
"Weird. It's like...I can see with my own eyes, but they're not my eyes."  
  
"You're looking through the Evangelion," said Ritsuko. "You're connected to it now. Effectively, you are Eva's brain."  
  
Another voice cut in. "Ten thousand meters from target."  
  
"Prepare to drop," ordered Ritsuko. Beneath him, beneath Unit 01, Shinji watched the bottom of the ship open, as the massive bay doors slid aside.   
  
"Eight thousand meters."  
  
The Eva was lowered out from the bay, and swung upright. It's feet hung a few dozen meters above the ground. Shinji experimentally swung the Eva's legs, causing the Casper to rock slightly.  
  
"Easy there, Shinji," said Misato. "You don't want to make us go down."  
  
"Six thousand meters."  
  
"Drop Unit 01," ordered Ritsuko. The clamps holding the Eva's shoulders released, and it slid down the short rails to the ground. As it dropped, the release of its weight caused the Casper to bounce upwards.   
  
The Eva hit the ground and slid forward, kicking up huge waves of dirt with its feet. Shinji marveled at the sensations the machine shared with him.  
  
He was snapped back to the present when the green monster turned toward him. His stomach froze as the thing seemed to inspect him. The Casper was pulling away, leaving Shinji to face this living nightmare himself.   
  
Light flared in the Angel's empty eye sockets. Shinji barely had time to blink before he was blasted backwards. The Eva tumbled back, landing hard on the ground.  
  
"Shinji!" screamed Misato in the radio.  
  
Shinji's chest burned, like he was the one who had been shot. "I can't do this," he gasped. "I can't control this thing. I can't fight." Had he not been restrained, he might have curled up in the seat.  
  
"Shinji, you have to do this," Ritsuko said. Her voice had a hard, but desperate, edge to it. "Eva is stronger than that Angel. You just have to use it."  
  
"NO!" Misato's scream was a millisecond behind the Angel's second blast. Unit 01 reacted like it had been kicked, lifting into the air slightly and dropping back down.   
  
"Damage to the right dorsal armor plates."  
  
Shigeru added his own report to Dozer's. "Synchronization is unsteady, 60% chance of feedback."  
  
Misato was growing desperate. "Shinji, can you hear me?"  
  
"It hurts," he moaned.  
  
"This is just like the Construct," she said. "You'll feel it. Shinji, fight like you did in the Construct. You can do it."  
  
With a pained gasp, Shinji got the Eva to rise to its feet. The simple action instilled some confidence in him. When the Angel's empty sockets glowed again, he jumped aside, taking a glancing blow to the hip, rather than a direct one to the damaged chest.  
  
"Good!" yelled Misato.  
  
"Synchronization stabilizing."  
  
"Minor damage to left leg armor."  
  
"Shinji, charge the Angel," ordered Ritsuko.  
  
Shinji complied, gaining speed as he willed Eva to run forward. Power surged around him as Unit 01 closed the distance in seconds. Shinji raised the Eva's arms to grab the Angel, when a wall of light sprang up before him. Unit 01 slammed into it, coming to a swift halt.  
  
Dazed, Shinji couldn't react before the Angel reached out and grabbed Unit 01's left arm. With a twist, the bones inside the arm broke. Shinji screamed as his left arm twisted around, pulling against his restraints.   
  
"It's not real," yelled Misato. "Shinji, stay calm."  
  
"Help me!" the boy screamed.  
  
"Disable nerve connection to left arm," ordered Fuyutsuki, stepping forward. "Has the AT field begun to manifest?"  
  
"No, nothing, sir," answered Shigeru.   
  
"Oh no."  
  
Everything else was forgotten as the view screens showed the Angel grabbing Eva 01's head. The spike that protruded out of the Angel's elbow began to glow, and pumped into the arm, hammering the Eva's skull.  
  
"The head armor's breaking," exclaimed Dozer. "The skull is cracking!"  
  
"Nerve connections are breaking," shouted Shigeru. "It's losing sync. It's feeding back on the pilot!"  
  
"Shinji!" screamed Misato. She was unable to drown out the boy's own pained cries.  
  
With a final blow, the Angel's piston punched through the Eva's head. Unit 01 immediately slumped to the ground, blood pouring from the wound. The Angel, bathed in its victim's blood, stepped over it.  
  
"Have we failed?" asked Misato.  
  
Fuyutsuki's head dropped. "Contact Zion," he said wearily. "Warn them that the Angel is coming."  
  
"What about Shinji?" Neo asked. He and Apoc, not being able to participate, had quietly observed the fight. Now that it was over, their only concern was for their young friend.  
  
"The Evangelion is not transmitting," said Dozer. "I can't tell if he's dead or alive."  
  
"Hold on a second." Shigeru turned to his console, as several indicators beeped to life. "It's got power. The Eva is coming back online!"  
  
"What?" chorused the others.  
  
"It's reactivating. Sync graph is all over the place!"  
  
"The arm has been restored!"   
  
Misato grabbed the headset she had taken off. "Shinji? Shinji, answer me!"  
  
"Still no reading on the pilot," said Dozer.  
  
"How is it moving?" asked Ritsuko.  
  
On the screens, they saw the Evangelion stand up. It's mouth opened and it roared, a deep sound born of rending metal and childhood nightmares. The Eva crouched and sprung forward, slamming into the Angel as it turned toward its enemy.  
  
"Impossible," breathed Fuyutsuki. "It can't do this."  
  
"I can't read any of this," said Shigeru, throwing his hands up in frustration. "The Evangelion has gone completely berserk."  
  
They watched in awe as Unit 01 punched the Angel repeatedly. The Angel managed to grab the Eva and toss it backwards, but the Evangelion flipped in the air and landed on its feet.   
  
It charged forward again, slamming into the Angel's AT field, and pushing through it. As the two titans fought, the observers on the Casper could see that Unit 01 had an overwhelming advantage. The Angel realized that too, as it fell under the Eva's onslaught.   
  
"Energy spike in the Angel's core," reported Dozer. "It's overloading!"  
  
"Brace for impact!" shouted Fuyutsuki.   
  
The view screens flared white as the Angel exploded. The shockwave hit them a second later, throwing everyone to the deck. The Casper shook violently in the air as its pilots tried to keep it flying. As the shockwave passed, the Casper returned to a hover, though it had been much closer to crashing than the pilots would admit.  
  
Tank spoke over the intercom. "Everyone still with me back there?"  
  
Climbing to her feet, Ritsuko hit the intercom switch. "We're fine," she said, looking around to make sure that everyone really was. Fuyutsuki had somehow managed to stay on his feet, clinging to a pipe mounted on the wall. Neo and Apoc had both been thrown on the deck hard, but seemed to be okay. The three seated techs were still in their chairs, though they had been shaken up rather well.  
  
"My God..." came Tank's voice.   
  
Ritsuko looked at the monitors. The Evangelion strode out of the fire that the Angel had created. It marched straight for the Casper, eyes glowing an unearthly white.   
  
"We've done it," said Fuyutsuki, watching the screen with awe.  
  
"But what have we created?" whispered Ritsuko, stepping next to the man. The fear on her face eased slightly as he put an arm around her.  
  
"Our salvation?" he offered.  
  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
END OF PART I  
  
  
Author's notes: I hope you've enjoyed the beginning my little crossover fic. I'm still not sure what possessed me to begin writing this, but I have enjoyed working on it. Combining the characters, elements, and plots of both universes has pushed my imagination, and reminded me of how much I loved to write when I was a kid.  
  
I don't think I will begin Part II until Matrix Revolutions is released. It is possible that that movie will rock my perceptions of the Matrix universe so strongly that I have to completely rethink what I am doing with this.  
  
But I've already taken so many liberties with both story's plots that it shouldn't affect this crossover anyway. Really, I'll probably be too busy watching Reloaded on DVD for the next few weeks to think about anything else. Just trying to be honest. XD   
  
If you've read this and haven't reviewed, please, drop me a line. Post a review, or email me at jagstang7@yahoo.com. I would really appreciate C&C on pretty much everything, from my writing ability, to the plot, the source materials, the characters, or whether or not I've gotten unacceptably OOC with some characters. (Probably Rei. My bad.)   
  
If Matrix Revolutions doesn't completely blow my mind, I will put chapter five up on November 5th. If it does completely blow my mind, but doesn't force them to be rewritten, I'll post two chapters!  
  
Hatcheter 


	6. Part II: Zion

Disclaimer: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion, nor do I own the Matrix trilogy. They are the property of their respective owners, and are used without permission.   
  
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Part II: Zion

  


Fifteen years ago:  
  
  
Information was sketchy at first. All Zion knew was that the machines had fought something on the cold plains of Siberia, and that defeating it had been costly to them, and would scar northeast Asia forever.   
  
But for the first time in over a century, the clouds broke for a few hours, and the sun shone on the surface of the Earth. Not that there was a human or machine there to see it.  
  
Eventually, Zion got the details of the battle. The Oracle Herself provided them, taking the biggest risk She had ever dared in order to learn all the facts.  
  
The story She told was incredible. On the Arctic ice sheet that stretches from North America to Europe and Asia, a Being appeared. The first machines to encounter it quickly reported it to Zero One. When they attempted to investigate this Being, they were destroyed, swatted aside like flies.   
  
More machines, Sentinals and other combatants, were sent to assalt the Being, which a particularly whimsical machine had dubbed The Angel. Again they were soundly defeated by the massive humanoid invader. The machines did learn that they were unable to penetrate the shield the Angel produced. Another, more precise machine named it the Absolute Terminus Field, a boundry that no machine or weapon penetrated if the Being did not want it there.  
  
The machines mustered a third attack, activating combatants that had not moved since the victory over and enslavement of humanity. Hundreds of thousands of machines swarmed the Angel, fearlessly attacking, ignorant of death. The Angel was almost overwhelmed. As its AT Field collapsed, the machines pressed, cutting into its flesh with claws and lasers.   
  
The wounded giant made its last attack, an energy blast that shamed everything the machines had used. In seconds, a hundred thousand machines were reduced to molten slag, boiling away the frozen tundra.   
  
The few machines that remained were not supposed to be used. But the army before them wasn't supposed to lose, either. Quickly, they launched their payloads, the most devestating weapons the machines had. The Angel's poorly restored AT Field only slowed the missles. The N2 mines detonated on the Being's skin, vaporizing it.   
  
The Angel's core ruptured in the blast, feeding the explosion exponentially. The crater it left was more than eight miles wide. Earthquakes shook the entire surface of the earth, disturbing the machine's power structures, and toppling old human buildings around the world.   
  
It was almost a year before a hovercraft even got a sensor hint of a Sentinal. 

  
  
  


* * *

  


Author's Notes: It is November 5th, so Matrix Revolutions is out. But this is not the place for a review. Suffice to say, it is a movie I will have to see again, before I can decide what I really think of it.  
  
With regards to this fic, I don't see any need to make major changes to my plans for it. But even if I did, it would be far off into the fic. 

For now, we begin Part II; Chapter 5 is on the next page. 


	7. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: See Part II.   
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina   
Chapter 5

  


  
Shinji awoke slowly. He was under a bright light again, blinding his tired eyes. He squinted in the light, and made out a shape circling around the bed.   
  
"Oh, so you're awake," said the man, leaning over Shinji. He had long hair and deep-set eyes.  
  
"Where am I?" Shinji rasped, his throat painfully dry. He managed to sit up, turning to face the speaker.  
  
The man offered him a cup of water. "You're back on the Neb. It was decided that you should be taken to Zion quickly, and this ship is faster than the Casper. I'm Shigeru Aoba. I came along to monitor you, to make sure that you didn't suffer any after effects from the battle. How do you feel?"  
  
Shinji finished drinking. "I...don't know. I don't feel much of anything, I guess."  
  
A hand suddenly reached over his shoulder and pinched his cheek.   
  
"OW!"  
  
"You felt that." Shinji turned his head and saw Misato grinning at him. "You must be okay," she declared.  
  
"What was that for?" asked Shinji, trying to glare at Misato as he rubbed his wounded cheek.  
  
"You gave us a scare, you know," she said. "We thought we had lost, and then you get up and destroy the Angel."  
  
Shinji looked confused. "I destroyed it?"  
  
"What do you remember?" asked Shigeru.  
  
Shinji stared into space for a moment, searching his memory. "I was trying to fight the Angel. It had shot me several times. I charged it, it broke my arm..." Shinji turned and looked at his left arm. He raised it up and wiggled his fingers experimentally.  
  
"It didn't really break, Shinji," said Misato.  
  
"Huh. It broke the Eva's arm then, then grabbed its head and started hitting it. I could feel every blow like it was my own head, though. After that...after that..." Shinji shook his head. "I don't know."  
  
Misato and Shigeru exchanged a glance. Shigeru made a note on his clipboard, while Misato shrugged. "Well, that doesn't matter," she said happily. "What's important is that we won. We're gonna have to party when we get to Zion!"  
  
Shigeru sighed. "That would be nice. Commander Fuyutsuki and Doctor Akagi will want to get right back to work when they reach Zion."  
  
"Aww...poor Shigeru. Maybe we should start early, then." Misato winked at Shinji as she reached into her pocket. A small metal flask appeared in her hand. "You're too young to drink Shinji, and I wouldn't want to poison your system anyway. So please, don't mind us." She took a quick drink from the flask. "AH! That's good."  
  
She held the flask to Shigeru, who eyed it suspiciously. He took it from the operator and took a quick drink, gasping as he swallowed. "Bleh...that stuff's worse than what Dozer makes."  
  
"Now don't say that," chided Misato. "This is Dozer's recipe. I just modified it a little. It's got even more alcohol, and degreases better, too."  
  
"Better at killing the brain and liver too, I'm sure." Still coughing, he turned back to the boy. "Do you feel anymore pain, Shinji?"  
  
Shinji shook his head. "No, I guess not."  
  
"We're still a day away from Zion," said Misato, between drinks. "Why don't you go down to your room and get some more rest. You're going to be busy when we reach the city."  
  
  
  
  
While the Evangelion Shinji had used was a several days behind him, it's sister units were in their bays in Zion. Catwalks surround the bays, overlooking the machines. A tall, dark man in a faded yellow sweater leaned on a rail, looking down at the red unit.   
  
He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice another man's approach until he spoke. "Commander Lock, I didn't expect to find you here."  
  
Lock turned to the new comer and greeted him. "Councilor Hamann." Both men stared down at the machine, quiet for a moment.  
  
"I can't help but think," began Lock, "that we could have built a half dozen hovercraft for each of the Evas. And that's not mentioning their transports and everything else that's here. But in the end, Unit 01 was able to defeat that monster." Lock shook his head. "I may owe Commander Fuyutsuki an apology."  
  
"No, I don't think so," said the older man. "You two buried the hatchet years ago. You should probably congratulate him, though."   
  
Lock nodded, and both men continued staring at the machine beneath them.   
  
"You think we should tell her that's dangerous?" asked Hamann, pointing at the girl perched atop the Eva's head. She was watching the work going on around her intently, and occasionally yelled her opinions about their progress to the technicians below her.  
  
"You think she would listen?" asked Lock.   
  
Hamann laughed. "The Second Child? Never."  
  
  
  
  
On the main deck of the Nebuchadnezzar, another Child was being discussed. "So how is he?" asked Trinity.  
  
"Physically, he's fine. Neurologically, there doesn't seem to be any damage." Shigeru leaned back in the link chair, placing his hands behind his head. He absently ran a finger around the plug on the back of his head as he spoke. "It's just a matter of how he copes with all this, though."  
  
"Copes?" asked Neo. He was leaning against the back of another chair, which Trinity sat upright on.   
  
"It took me a while to adjust to the real world, after I got out. And I had an idea of what I was getting into. From what I've heard, Shinji had no clue what was about to happen." Shigeru sighed. "And as soon as he come to grips with the real world, we shove him in Unit 01 and send him out to fight."  
  
"So you're saying it was too much, too soon?" asked Misato from her seat at the Operator's panel. "We didn't have any other choice," she said defensively.  
  
"Yeah, I know that." Shigeru closed his eyes. He was starting to look very relaxed. "I guess what we he needs is to get settled into life in Zion. Getting a normal routine established will help him adjust."  
  
Shigeru yawned loudly. Misato got an evil glint in her eyes, and before Trinity or Neo could say anything, she snatched a disk off the desk and tossed it into Shigeru's wide-open mouth. "Hole in one!" she shouted, as the man gagged and spit the disk out.   
  
Shigeru glared at Misato, who winked at him and pulled out her hip flask. She took a quick drink, and passed it to her victim. Shigeru stopped glaring long enough to cough down a drink, and passed it on to Neo.  
  
Trinity leaned forward and read the label on the disk. "Uh, Misato? Isn't that Rei's disk?"  
  
"Hmm?" Misato picked up the disk and read it. "American Sign Language? Uh-oh." She grinned weakly. "Let's pretend this didn't happen, okay?"  
  
  
  
  
Shinji slept for almost fourteen hours. He didn't wake until a concerned Shigeru tried to move him back to the infirmary, fearing that the boy had suffered some mental damage. Shinji insisted that he was fine, if still exhausted.   
  
He didn't feel quite so fine after a meal of the goop that the crew ate. The promise of real food in Zion was enough to keep him from being completely disillusioned, and the fact that the city was only hours away had him a bit excited.  
  
Eventually, Shinji found himself back in his small room, lying on the bunk. He was bored. With everyone else occupied with getting the ship to Zion, or preparing to leave once it was there, he had nothing to do. He had no belongings to pack, and had no position on the ship that required him to do anything. He lay on the bed, reviewing the things he had gone through.   
  
How long since his freeing? He didn't know exactly how long he had laid on that bed while they worked on his body. Even the first few days after that were hazy; he had slept whenever he wasn't jacked into the Construct or the Matrix. Then the Evangelion, and more sleeping while he recovered from that experience.  
  
He had slept for fourteen years already, so why was he doing so much more of it?  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door. "Come in," he called, sitting up on the bed.  
  
Switch leaned into the room. "Hey, we're almost to Zion. You want to see it when we get there?"  
  
Shinji nodded and got out of the bed. He followed Switch up to ship's cockpit, noting that most of the crew had already left their bags at the ramp.  
  
Morpheus was seated in the left pilot's seat, and Switch took the one on his right. Shinji stood behind them, and watched the tunnels pass by the windows.   
  
"We're still underground?" he asked.  
  
Morpheus nodded without looking back. "Zion is deep underground, where we can defend ourselves from the machines."  
  
Deep meant four miles down, Shinji soon learned. He asked how they could have dug so far.  
  
"The location was discovered shortly before the war with the machines began. It was partially explored back then, but never used, until the first people to escape the Matrix went down to it. It's been the salvation of humanity."  
  
The ship turned a corner in the tunnel and quickly slowed. Switch turned on the floodlights, bathing the entire tunnel in light. Ahead stood a huge metal door, guarded by numerous large cannon turrets. All the guns were trained on the Neb.  
  
Just as Shinji started to get nervous, Morpheus slipped on a headset and spoke into it. "Nebuchadnezzar to Zion Control. Requesting permission to enter Zion."  
  
A woman's voice came out of the speaker a moment later. "Nebuchadnezzar, this is Zion Docking Control, please transmit your authorization code."  
  
"Transmitting." Morpheus tapped a code in on a keypad. A moment later, the gun turrets turned away from the Neb, and the door began to open.  
  
"Code accepted. You are cleared for the west dock, bay nine. Welcome home, Neb."   
  
"Thank you, Control." Morpheus took the headset off. "Here we are, Shinji."  
  
The ship continued down the tunnel, around a corner, and past another set of turrets. Beyond the turrets the tunnel abruptly ended.   
  
"Wow..."   
  
"Welcome to the Geofront. The last free territory on Earth."  
  
Shinji stared in awe as the ship descended. Vast didn't begin to describe the cavern. Lights stretched out into the distance on the plain below, to the far wall of the cavern. More lights twinkled on the dome of rock overhead like stars on a clear night. Shinji felt like he was in an airplane, flying into a city at night.   
  
"This is incredible," he breathed.  
  
Switch laughed lightly. "It is, isn't it? That's the City of Zion down there," she said, pointing to the densest cluster of lights. "That hill in the center is the Temple Mount."  
  
The Neb banked to the right and swiftly dropped altitude. The half filled dock rose to meet them. The Neb took its place between two other ships, settling down on its landing pads.  
  
They quickly left the cockpit, reaching the bottom deck as the ramp finished lowering. Misato stood at the top of the ramp, not bothering to conceal her flask. "Thank you for flying Neb Air, we hope you join us again." She took a drink from the flask. "Now, it's time to Party!"  
  
"Getting an early start on that party?" asked Apoc.  
  
Misato shouldered her bag and started down the ramp. "Of course. Why waste time? So, who's with me?" She glanced around the group, getting headshakes from everyone. Morpheus had to check in with command, Shigeru wanted to get to the Project Center to enter his info on Shinji's recovery, and the rest of the crew just wanted to go to their homes.  
  
"Well Shinji, what about you?" Misato asked.  
  
"Umm, well, I'd like to rest, too. But, where do I go?"  
  
"Don't worry about that, Shinji. There's a place for you," said Morpheus.  
  
"You're not going to toss him in with the orphans, are you?" asked Misato.  
  
"Orphans?" asked Shinji.  
  
"The children taken out of the Matrix," explained Morpheus. "The teachers there will help you get settled into your new life. Most of us lived there when we were your age."  
  
"He's not an ordinary orphan, though," argued Misato. The woman's expression was unmistakable; she was planning something again.  
  
"What do you have in mind?" asked Trinity.  
  
"Well, he could stay with me. I have an extra room now, and this will put him closer to the Project, and to the other pilots."  
  
Shinji felt a little uncomfortable, having his fate discussed like this. "Really, I don't want to be any trouble."  
  
Misato threw an arm around his shoulders. "Nonsense! You'll stay with me. I won't tolerate any argument, okay?"  
  
Shinji looked at the others, who didn't try to argue with the Operator. He smiled. "Okay, then."  
  
  
  
  
Across the city of Zion, two girls stood at the top of a residency building. Rather, the redhead stood at the very edge of the roof, staring down the street, while her blue haired friend sat carefully at the center of the roof.  
  
"Are you sure that was the Neb?" asked Asuka.  
  
"Yes," Rei signed in response. "This is the right time for it to arrive, and the pad configuration was correct for that model."  
  
Asuka pointed at the distant cluster of lights that indicated a tunnel. "That was miles away from here. How could you tell?"  
  
Rei held up her small binoculars.  
  
"Those things aren't that powerful, are they?" Asuka scoffed.  
  
Rei shrugged. "They are sufficient."  
  
Asuka rolled her eyes, and turned her gaze back down the street. Rei remained seated, lost in her own thoughts. Several minutes passed, before Asuka shifted her stance. "I think I see Misato."  
  
Rei stood and walked across the roof, stopping a safe distance away from the edge.  
  
"Do you see her?" asked Asuka, pointing down the street.  
  
Rei nodded. "Who is with her?"  
  
"Huh?" Asuka looked again, squinting slightly. There were several other people on the street, and it took her a minute to determine that Misato had a companion. It took another moment to figure out who it was. "Why is he with her?" she muttered.  
  
Before she could call to them, Misato was yelling at her. "Asuka, if you fall and break you neck, I'll kill you!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled, before leaning out and grabbing a pipe affixed to the side of the building. To Misato's horror, she slid all the way down from the fourth story roof. Ignoring the woman's gaze, she marched up to Shinji. "So what are you doing here, Third Child?"  
  
"Who, me?" Shinji asked, not ready for the third degree. "I'm, umm..."  
  
"Say hello to your new roommate, Asuka," Misato said cheerfully.  
  
"Roommate?!" both teens shouted. Rei arrived then, having used a ladder and then stairs to get down, and was puzzled by their expressions.   
  
Misato smiled. "Yep, roommate. I figured that this was the most convenient for him. This way, he's closer to the Project."  
  
Asuka tried to protest. "But, but he can't stay with us. That room is-"  
  
"Available," Misato interrupted. Under her glare, Asuka swallowed back any other argument.  
  
"Fine," she sighed.  
  
Misato's bright smile returned. "Wonderful! I'm going to take a bath. I'll leave you kids to get to know each other." She turned and climbed the stairs, leaving the three children on the street.  
  
Asuka stared at Shinji. Shinji stared back, then shifted his gaze to Rei. Rei stared back at him. He looked back to Asuka again. "So, uh..."  
  
"How was it?" asked the redhead.  
  
"How was what?"  
  
"Fighting, moron. What was fighting the Angel like?"  
  
"Oh, that." Shinji sighed. It wasn't his favorite thing to think about at the moment. "It was...painful. I felt everything that the machine, I mean, the Eva felt. When the angel broke its arm, I thought mine had broken."  
  
Asuka nodded sagely. "That's the sensory input from the Eva. To pilot it properly, we have to feel what Eva feels. That includes pain, too."  
  
Shinji "hmm"ed in response.  
  
"So how did you defeat it?"  
  
"I really don't remember. I...kind of blacked out."  
  
"What do you mean, 'blacked out'?" she demanded.   
  
Shinji shuffled back a step. "I, uh, lost consciousness, and the Eva destroyed the Angel on its own."  
  
Both girls were perplexed. Rei's hands danced in the air, as Asuka nodded. "I suppose. Personally, I bet stupid here has some kind of short-term memory loss. There's no way the Eva could fight on its own." Rei signed another response.  
  
"What's she saying?" Shinji asked, ignoring the insult.  
  
Both girls stared at him for a moment. Remembering the earlier problem, Rei's shoulders sagged slightly.   
  
"Misato never found that disk, did she?" asked Asuka.  
  
Shinji shook his head. Rei reached into her pocket and pulled out a disk, labeled "Rei's ASL Disk."  
  
"I know," said Asuka, "let's head over to the Project Center. We can show Shinji around, and use one of the terminals to upload that program."  
  
Rei nodded, and turned to Shinji. "I guess so," he said, answering her questioning gaze.   
  
  
  
  
The walk to the Project Center was over a mile, so the Children had some time to talk.  
  
"What is this place were going to?" asked Shinji.  
  
Since he still couldn't converse with Rei, Asuka answered. "It's the center for Project E, the group that designed and built the Evangelions."  
  
"There's more than one?"  
  
"We have three. Unit 00, the prototype; Unit 01, the test type; and Unit 02, the final model."  
  
"Three Evas." Shinji thought for a moment, then turned back to the two girls. "I'm just the third pilot, right? So there's one for each of us?"   
  
Rei and Asuka glanced at each other. Rei signed something, which Asuka nodded to. "Rei has mainly worked with Unit 01, and I've been using 02 since its construction was finished last year. They'll probably put you in 00, since you have the least piloting experience."  
  
Rei signed something else, which caused Asuka to glare at her. "I doubt that will matter very much."  
  
"What won't matter?" asked Shinji.   
  
Asuka turned her glare on him. "You're the only one with combat experience."  
  
"I am?"  
  
"Yes. But don't get too cocky, Third Child." Asuka spun in front of Shinji. "Just because you got to face the first one, doesn't make you the best. I guarantee that I won't faint during a battle," she said, poking his chest to emphasize her point.  
  
Shinji nodded. If she wanted to fight the Angels, she was welcome to them.  
  
  
  
  
The Project Center was enclosed by a simple fence, meant more to direct people to the proper entrances than keep them out. The gate was manned by a single guard, an old man who made sure people thumbed the print scanner when they came and went. He admitted Shinji after the boy's status as Third Child and a victorious pilot was clearly (and loudly) explained to him by Asuka.  
  
Asuka grumbled as they entered the facility. "His job doesn't include delaying us," she said to Rei, who had signed something to her.  
  
Shinji was beginning to get annoyed with the one sided conversations. "When can we use that disk?" he asked.  
  
"We just have to get down to one of the labs," said Asuka.   
  
Shinji turned at a tug on his sleeve. He saw Rei walking to the left, her eyes beckoning him to follow. She led him toward several odd structures. Thick steel columns rose out of the ground, and were connected at the top by narrow massive beams of equal size, giving the appearance of a large building that had neither walls nor a roof.  
  
Shinji followed Rei as she walked to a railing that over looked a massive, steel walled room. The floor, the same color of green as the walls, was hundreds of feet below.  
  
Shinji gasped at the monster attached to the far wall. "An Evangelion?"  
  
"That's Unit 00," said Asuka, leaning on the rail and looking down at the orange machine. "The first Eva. Come with me, Third." She grabbed Shinji's collar and drug him along the railing and around the corner. Another railing ran parallel to the first. Shinji leaned over it, looking down on a red Eva.   
  
Asuka spoke proudly. "That is Unit 02, the newest and best Evangelion."   
  
Shinji looked down on the machine, then turned and looked back at the orange one. Seeing two Evas together was an awesome sight. While the bodies were virtually identical to that of the Unit he had used, the heads were very distinct. They were shaped differently, and these two were somehow less menacing, he thought.   
  
Shinji considered that for a moment, until his train of thought was derailed by the redhead. "Hey, Maya!" she shouted. A figure down in the Eva bay waved back. "Let's go down there," said Asuka, heading for a small lift. The platform rode down an angled rail set in the wall, dropping them off on a catwalk that went behind the Eva's shoulders.  
  
A young woman with short, dark hair greeted them. "Hey girls, what's up? Who's this?"  
  
"Him? That's Shinji, the new pilot." Asuka quickly switched to more important matters. "Is there a lab we can use to load a program?"  
  
Maya blinked in surprise. "You're the pilot who destroyed the Angel?"  
  
Shinji shrugged, a little embarrassed. "Yeah, I guess that's me." He blushed slightly as the woman shook his hand, congratulating him on the battle and welcoming him to Zion. She then excused herself to return to her work.   
  
As the three teens left the bay, Shinji stared at the ground, uncomfortable with the attention he was receiving.  
  
"Come on, Third. You should take some pride in what you do," scolded Asuka. "You're not going to be the hotshot around here for much longer, so enjoy it while you can."  
  
"I just..." Shinji started. He hesitated for a second. "I didn't really do anything special out there. I don't know how I defeated it."  
  
"I don't believe this," she grumbled as she pushed open a door. "Let's get this disk loaded into your stupid head so that Rei can maybe talk some sense into you."   
  
Asuka snickered, amused by her comment. Shinji looked around the room. It had several large consoles and a dozen interface chairs, like those on the Neb. Rei went to a console, while Asuka led Shinji to a chair.   
  
She picked up a plug and instructed Shinji to lie back. "Hold still," she said, positioning the plug.  
  
"OkaAAY!" Shinji yelped as she rammed the plug into place.   
  
"Wuss. Rei, you ready?"  
  
The blue haired girl nodded. With the press of a button, knowledge that would have taken months or years to learn was placed in Shinji's brain. Consciously, he could do nothing, but his brain didn't need direction from its higher functioning levels to assimilate, sort, and store the information.   
  
In a few seconds, the upload finished. Asuka removed the plug as Shinji sat up, rubbing his eyes.   
  
"Did it work?"  
  
"I guess so...Rei?" Shinji started as his mind caught up to his eyes. He had understood Rei's hands. "Say something, anything."  
  
Rei looked at him for a moment, before raising her hands into the air. "Something. Anything."  
  
Her companions stared for a moment. Shinji laughed, while Asuka rolled her eyes. "He didn't mean that literally," she grumbled.  
  
Rei nodded, accepting this information. "It appears to have worked. I should go, Father will be returning home soon." With that, she grabbed her disk, pocketed it, and walked out of the room.  
  
"She wasn't joking?" asked Shinji.   
  
Asuka shook her head. "She's so weird sometimes." She explained further as they left the Project Center.   
  
"Rei got out of the Matrix when she was four years old. She was the youngest person ever freed, I think. Native children aren't taught sign language, so Morpheus was really the only person she had to talk to, when he wasn't away on a mission."  
  
Asuka leaned against the rail as they rode the lift up. "I guess she never got to act like a normal little girl, so she doesn't act like a normal teen now. You should have seen her when I got here. I couldn't get more than two words out of her."  
  
Shinji stared down at the red Evangelion. "When did you get out?" he asked.  
  
"When I was nine. I lived with the Oracle for three years, until they needed another pilot for the project. She chose me for that."  
  
The lift was rapidly approaching the top of the bay. "What did your family think, when you went to the Oracle?"  
  
Asuka's eyes narrowed slightly. "It didn't matter." The lift stopped, jolting slightly. "We better get back to the apartment," she said.  
  
Shinji took one last look at the red Eva, then glanced at the orange unit. He turned away and followed Asuka out of the Center. The walk back to the apartment was spent in silence, as Shinji marveled at the Geofront.  
  
They reached the apartment building and climbed the stairs to the fourth floor. "We're back," called Asuka after they entered.   
  
Misato's head appeared around a corner. "You're just in time, I made dinner."  
  
Asuka shuddered slightly as Misato disappeared again.   
  
"What's wrong?" Shinji asked.  
  
"You know the protein soup you ate on the ship?" Shinji nodded. "You'll be wishing for some of it soon."


	8. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: See Part II.   
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
Chapter 6

  
  
  


"No, still nothing." Maya Ibuki frowned at the blank screen before her. "There! Wait-" the screen had flickered momentarily. "Do what you just did."  
  
Below her, Dozer shifted a set of wires. "Like this."  
  
The woman nodded. "Yeah, it's on now."  
  
"I can't just stay here and hold this," grumbled Dozer. He was lying on his back under the third control station. Maya sat on the chair with her legs pulled under her, to avoid stepping on the tech's torso while he worked.   
  
"There must be a loose connection somewhere." After a few moments of prodding wires, he found the offending plug and tightened it. "Did that help?"  
  
"Yeah, it's on now," said Maya. "This ship has been more trouble than the other two put together, I think."  
  
"You can say that again," said Makoto Hyuga, climbing through a hatch in the floor. "We found the wiring problem under the deck. Station one should turn on now. Maybe." He sat at the first of the three control chairs and turned the power on, watching the screens come to life.   
  
Once he was certain that they wouldn't fail or explode, he leaned toward the hole he had climbed through. "That did it, Tank."  
  
They were in the command room of the Eva transport ship Melchior. It was built from the same basic design as its sisters, the Casper and the Balthasar. However, the Melchior was proving much more difficult to complete.  
  
"I could do a better job wiring while I'm drunk," Tank claimed, climbing out of the hatch. "What were those construction morons doing?"  
  
"They were behind schedule," said Maya. "Perhaps they were rushing to finish the ship?"  
  
Dozer's voice floated out from under the third station. "All the problems seem to be here in the control room, fortunately. Still, it is pretty bad, even for a rush job. And Tank, I know for a fact that you can't tie your bootlaces, let alone wire anything, while drink."  
  
"Shut up, Makoto," Tank growled at his laughing friend. For the next few hours, the three men shared each others' embarrassing stories while they worked, mostly involving things done while "young, drunk, or both." Maya was silently grateful that these three Natives couldn't know any incriminating college stories from her life in the Matrix.  
  
  
  
  
Shinji stood at the apartment balcony and gazed toward the Project complex. The Casper had reached Zion two days after he got there. The hovercraft landed on the frame built over the Eva bay, and lowered Unit 01 into place.  
  
The Evangelion was heavily damaged. The head armor was gone, and much of the torso armor was misshapen from melting under the extreme heat of the Angel's attacks.  
  
Shinji imagined that he could see the Eva from the building. After two days, most of the armor was been replaced. The damaged pieces were taken to the massive forge to be recast. In Zion, everything that could be recycled or reused was kept.  
  
"Hey, are you going to stand there and stare into space all day?"  
  
Shinji turned to see Asuka emerge from the apartment, with a small bag slung over her shoulder. "Is it time to go?" he asked.   
  
The redhead nodded. "Yes. Try to keep up, the professor hates it when someone is late." With that, the girl slid down the stair rail and set off at a brisk walk.   
  
Shinji had to run to catch up, and he fell in a few feet behind Asuka. He was still awed by the incredible size of the Geofront, and by the city it contained.   
  
Zion was dominated by the pyramidal hill in the middle of the city. The hill's flat top was capped with a man made pyramid of stone and steel; the Temple, Zion's social and political center.  
  
Around that was built a fairly typical medium-sized city, though one that was entirely self-contained. Zion was a city of war, a fortress, and a shelter from the extinction of freedom.   
  
Everything was focused on the fight in the Matrix, even the school he was about to join. Zion's high school existed to train young people to support the war. Freed youth were helped with adjusting to the real world, and prepared for operations in the Matrix. Natives learned the technology of Zion, to support the war effort. A select few were trained to Operate.  
  
Shinji knew all this because it had been loaded into his memory when he had his "training" on the Nebuchadnezzar. He knew his way around the whole city, though he had not yet seen most of it. He knew much about the life style of the citizens, though he had met only a handful of people since his arrival. The small paradox this caused kept his thoughts occupied for the rest of the walk.  
  
  
  
  
The school sat on the edge of one of the small lakes, on the other side of the city from the Project Center. Rei Ayanami sat at her desk and stared out the window, secretly wishing she were deaf as well as mute.  
  
"Come on Rei, give me some details," the bespectacled boy pleaded. "I waited all weekend to find out what happened to the purple Eva. Was it in a battle? Why weren't the other two Evas used too? I know you and Asuka were here, so who was the pilot? Was it a victory? Is the Matrix down?"   
  
Rei sighed quietly, and turned to face her interrogator. Kensuke could wear her hands out, if she let him. Fortunately, one question's answer walked through the door. She nodded toward Shinji and Asuka. "He is the new pilot."  
  
Kensuke turned. "Him?" He examined new boy, noticing his short buzz of hair and thin frame. "He looks like he just got out. How much training did he get?"  
  
"None."  
  
He did a double take at that, wondering if he misread the signed answer. "No training at all?"  
  
Any answer he might have received was cut off when the old professor entered the room, followed by a teenage girl. "Good morning class. We have two new students today, who will introduce themselves to you."  
  
The professor turned and looked expectantly at Shinji. He turned and saw the whole class with a similar expression. "My name is Shinji Ikari, I just came to Zion four days ago." Slightly embarrassed by the attention, he hoped that he had said enough.  
  
The professor seemed satisfied, and nodded to the girl next to Shinji. "Hello," she began. "I'm Hikari Horaki. I arrived in Zion on Saturday, after the Oracle sent me out of the Matrix."  
  
Shinji looked at her, realizing that he had seen the freckled girl when he visited the Oracle. She had long brown hair then, worn in pigtails. Now she had a cloth wrapped around her head, hiding her lack of hair.   
  
"Thank you," said the professor. "Please, find seats for yourselves."  
  
Shinji found an empty desk near the middle of the class. This put him close to the only people that he knew. Rei was ahead and to his left, and Asuka was behind him, and to the right.  
  
The boy in front of him turned around to face Shinji. "Rei said you're an Eva pilot. Is that true?" When Shinji nodded, he continued. "That's so cool, I'm jealous of you. I wish I could get in an Eva and battle the machines. I'd teach them not to mess with humanity."  
  
Shinji sighed. "It's not that great. It was...painful."  
  
"That's not how Asuka describes it," the boy objected. "And even if it is, we're soldiers, and must persevere. But fate has conspired to keep me out of the Matrix, even."  
  
The boy sighed theatrically, and ignored the quiet "idiot" that came from a few seats back.  
  
Shinji looked at him, puzzled, and the boy held up his arms. They were unmarred by anything metal. "No holes; I'm a Native of Zion. Kensuke's the name. Pleased to meet you."  
  
Shinji smiled. "You too. Um...should we be talking while the professor is lecturing?" he whispered.  
  
Kensuke glanced over his shoulder. The old man was standing at the window and staring out with a far off look on his face. "Nah. He always starts the day telling about his adventures in the Matrix. He's mostly deaf anyway, and won't notice-"  
  
"Mr. Aida!" Kensuke's smile dropped and he slowly turned toward the front of the classroom. "Please sit properly in your seat," the professor ordered. He then turned back to the window and continued speaking, telling a story that all but two members of his captive audience had heard many times already.  
  
  
  
  
  
Neo and Trinity walked hand-in-hand down the streets of Zion. Since the day Neo "died", four years before, they had been inseparable. Some people admired the strength and depth of their relationship, something joyful in the bleak world. Others got annoyed with "all that lovey-dovey crap", as a certain operator once put it.  
  
Morpheus was bemused by it all. After his adopted daughter, they were his family. He wouldn't begrudge them their happiness. They still had a dark road to face before the Prophecy was fulfilled.  
  
"`Morning," they called as they reached Morpheus. He was waiting next to the entrance to Zion's command center. The long two-story building served as the fleet's command and training center, and air traffic control for ships that came and went.   
  
"So what's this meeting about?" asked Neo.  
  
"Commander Lock wants our impressions of the battle against the Angel before the council meeting this afternoon," answered Morpheus.  
  
"Why us?" Trinity asked.  
  
Morpheus shrugged. "I do not know. Perhaps he is impatient for this afternoon's council briefing."  
  
The trio entered the building and climbed the stairs to the second floor. As they approached it, the door to the commander's office opened and Captain Niobe stepped out. She smiled to the three Neb crewmembers. "Good morning."  
  
"`Morning Niobe," answered Trinity, noting that Morpheus's step had faltered slightly at the woman's appearance. "What's up?"  
  
"Just getting orders for my next mission," the captain replied. "I'll see you guys at the council meeting."  
  
"Later," Trinity and Neo said, watching her descend the stairs. Trinity gave Morpheus a knowing elbow to the side, confusing the otherwise oblivious Neo.  
  
They entered the office and found Commander Lock at his desk, reading his terminal screen. He greeted them and motioned for them to sit.  
  
"Neo, you went aboard the Casper, right?" he asked.  
  
Neo nodded. "Yes, along with Apoc and Misato, who helped Casper's crew during the battle."   
  
"In you opinion, how well did they do?"  
  
"They successfully destroyed the Angel," Neo answered. "They engaged it after the machine's N2 weapon didn't destroy it and-"  
  
"I know all the details," Lock cut Neo off. "What I want to know is how did the Project E staff carry themselves in a battle?"  
  
"Sir?" said Morpheus, wondering why Lock would ask something like that.  
  
Lock leaned back in his seat. "A lot of time and resources has been devoted to the project. There's no doubt now about the need for the Evangelions, but we still don't understand the enemy. Fuyutsuki reported that the Angel was heading in the direction of Zion after it thought it defeated Unit 01.   
  
"My job is to worry about protecting Zion. If these Angels pose a threat to the city, I need to be certain that they will be destroyed before they can attack it."  
  
"So you're worried about Project personnel directing combat?" asked Trinity.  
  
Lock nodded. "Well, they are mostly scientists and engineers. The people who you've helped them recruit have rarely ventured back into the Matrix. They can build these things, but can they use them effectively?"  
  
Morpheus nodded a silent agreement and turned to Neo. "I can't say that they were or were not fully prepared for combat," Neo began. The One realized that his answer would likely have an effect on the upcoming council meeting, and possibly the future of Project E and Zion.   
  
"They were using an untrained pilot in and untested weapon, against an unknown enemy," he continued. "If Shinji had been familiar with the Eva, he might have fared better against the Angel. He did destroy it, though they don't understand how."  
  
Lock was surprised by that. "What do you mean?"  
  
Neo shook his head. "I didn't understand all of it, but it sounded like Shinji wasn't in control of the Eva when it destroyed the Angel. It was...going berserk, one of the techs said."  
  
Lock's expression was a mix of anger and fear. "They lost control of it? That's not supposed to be possible. If one of those things were to go berserk here-"  
  
"That wouldn't happen," interrupted Morpheus. "Rei and Asuka have been training with the Evas for years, and nothing remotely like that has ever happened."  
  
Lock's anger met Morpheus's cool determination as the two men had a brief stare down.   
  
Trinity spoke up before the tension got overwhelming. "We should probably wait for Commander Fuyutsuki's report about that."   
  
The Commander nodded as a silent agreement was reached between the two men. "All I care about is the safety of all the free people, especially the children we're throwing to the forefront.  
  
"I'll see you at the council meeting," he said in dismissal.  
  
The other three rose and turned for the door. After Neo and Trinity left, Morpheus turned back. "If I may make a suggestion, perhaps you should offer some combat trained personnel to the Project. Someone who could at least train the pilots in battle tactics."  
  
"I'll think about it," the commander answered.  
  
  
  
  
Shinji had spent his lunch with the professor and the other new student. The old teacher had wanted to find out what training and experience his new students had picked up. He was pleased to learn that Hikari had come straight from the Oracle, while Shinji had already visited Her.   
  
While Shinji had gone through the standard training on the Nebuchadnezzar, Hikari had grown ill after getting out, and hadn't had any training yet. This meant she would be excluded from the afternoon exercise, while she got the basic programming.  
  
Exercises happened once or twice a week, and were always looked forward to by the students.   
  
Unless they got a team assignment they didn't like. "What do you mean I'm paired with that idiot?!" Asuka yelled to the teacher.  
  
"I ain't so thrilled either, Red," the boy sneered.  
  
"Touji, call me that again, and I will hurt you."  
  
"Sorry. I meant Red Devil."  
  
SLAP!  
  
"We are going to own them," Kensuke observed to his teammates. Rei nodded in agreement, while Shinji wondered if the professor was punishing the boy for being late to class.  
  
"If all the teams are ready," said the teacher, glaring at the two arguing teens, "please go to your stations." Around the room, freed youth climbed into link chairs, while their Native classmates prepared to operate for them.  
  
Kensuke stepped forward and inserted the link plugs for Rei and Shinji. He quickly returned to his small console, and started the instructor's program.  
  
The professor walked around the room, explaining the drill as he checked each team's readiness. "This will be a regular capture the flag game. All teams will begin an equal distance from the objective. Find it, obtain the flag, and return to your exit before somebody else takes the flag from you."  
  
Shinji glanced at Rei. She lay quietly in her seat, eyes closed, as the professor spoke. Shinji thought she was asleep at first, until she turned her head, tracking on the professor's walk back to the front of the room.  
  
The professor looked around the classroom. "Begin."  
  
Shinji looked over to Kensuke. The Native grinned madly as he furiously banged away on his keyboard. The first step of the drill was connecting to the Construct, simulating the process of making a connection to the Matrix.  
  
Kensuke flashed a thumbs-up to the two. "We are jacking in," he announced. With a final push of a button, Shinji and Rei were connected to the artificial world.  
  
  
  
  
A cramped office appeared around them, the phone on the desk ringing insistently. Rei picked it up and held it to her ear for a moment, then set it down again. Her gentle voice rang clearly in Shinji's ears, though her lips never moved. "Kensuke says the necessary data is in a folder."  
  
Rei turned to the cluttered desk and picked up a file that sat on top of the mass of papers and books. Scanning its contents she turned back to see Shinji staring at her. "What?"  
  
Shinji shook his head quickly. "Sorry. I guess I'm not used to hearing you speak."  
  
"Does my voice bother you?"  
  
"No, not at all. You have a very nice voice," Shinji said. "Uh, I mean, that it's nice to actually hear you speak. Er...uh, what I mean is..."  
  
Rei waved the folder in the air. As much fun as it would be to watch Shinji stick his foot further into his mouth, they had a task to complete. "We should go."   
  
Shinji nodded agreement, knowing his pride had been beaten beyond recognition.   
  
They stepped out of the office and into the kitchen of a bakery. They walked through it, and out the front door. The employees spared them a quick glance, but did not interfere.  
  
Shinji looked around as they stepped out. "Where are we?" he asked.  
  
"Europe, I believe," answered Rei. They were in a small mountainside town, under the shadow of a snowcapped peak. The rest of the town was laid out below them.   
  
Shinji took a moment to examine himself. He was wearing black pants and a white shirt, similar to his old school uniforms. A dark jacket was added to this, and he could feel the weight of a pistol in a shoulder holster. It felt familiar, despite the fact her had never carried one before.  
  
He glanced over to Rei. She was dressed in similarly; black slacks, white shirt, and a black jacket, which hung to her knees. A gust of wind blew the jacket open around her, and Shinji spotted the pistol holstered on her hip.  
  
Rei opened the folder, showing it to Shinji. "We must go to a bank to retrieve the flag."  
  
Shinji looked at the single note inside the folder, telling them where to get the object. "How do we get there?" He asked.  
  
"Call our Operator," Rei answered, as though it was perfectly obvious. She started expectantly at Shinji.  
  
Shinji eventually caught on. "You want me to call?" When the girl nodded, he began searching his pockets. He found a cellular phone tucked into one of the jacket pockets. He pressed the phone's talk button and held it to his ear.  
  
The phone rang once. "Operator," he heard.  
  
"Kensuke, it's me, Shinji."  
  
The Native sighed. "Yeah, I know that. You need directions or something, right?"  
  
"Yes. Do you know where we're going?"  
  
"Yeah, it's the town's main bank. Go south about three-quarters of a mile, then go east after you pass the town hall and you'll see it. Simple, right?"  
  
"Yeah," Shinji agreed.  
  
"Good. But there are a lot of cops active for some reason. I don't think there will be Agents, but be careful," Kensuke warned.  
  
"Okay. Um, anything else I should know?"  
  
"Probably. Call me if you get lost. Operator out." Before the phone disconnected, a faint, amused "newbies" was heard.  
  
Shinji turned to Rei, pocketing the phone. "He said go south, then east at the city hall." The girl started down the street, and Shinji followed her. "Oh, he also said there were a lot of cops around."   
  
Rei nodded and continued walking. Shinji looked around as the road led them downhill, into the heart of the town. "Where are we, anyway."  
  
"This is called EuroTown, one of our training maps." They walked in silence for several more minutes.  
  
A military jeep approached them, with a soldier manning the roof mounted machine gun. "Did Kensuke mention military forces?" Rei asked.  
  
"No, he didn't," answered Shinji, watching the vehicle pass. The gunner glared straight at them, and Shinji was certain the machinegun would swing toward them at any moment. It did not, and the vehicle continued on down the street. "Will they come after us?"  
  
"Possibly," answered Rei. "The professor does do things like that," she added.  
  
They quickly reached the town hall, and turned down a side street. They arrived at the bank and Rei stopped, looking around. She pulled out her own cell phone and called Kensuke. "Has anyone else arrived?"  
  
Kensuke took a moment to answer the question. "I don't think so. The other teams should all be getting close though. Get the flag and get out quick."  
  
"What about the military?"  
  
"They seem to be spread randomly around town. Try not to make them angry."  
  
Rei sighed and hung up the phone. "Let's go," she said to Shinji.  
  
They walked into the bank and looked around. Rei nudged Shinji forward, toward the teller counter. The woman behind the counter looked up and smiled blankly. "Can I help you?"  
  
"Yes, I'm here to get the flag," Shinji said.  
  
The woman continued to smile. "I'm sorry, what do you need?"  
  
Shinji glanced back at Rei who stepped forward. "There should a package waiting to be picked up."  
  
The woman looked down at the counter. "One moment, let me look."  
  
As she searched the area behind the counter, the doors to the bank opened. Shinji glanced over his shoulder and saw two other students enter. In the blink of an eye, Rei had her pistol out, aiming at the boys. They dove for cover as she fired, drawing their own weapons. Shinji flung himself to the floor as they returned fire.  
  
"Um, sir?" Shinji looked up and saw the teller leaning over the counter, still smiling. "I believe I've found your package." She handed a box labeled "Zion" to him.  
  
Shinji numbly took the box, noting the blood flowing down the woman's shirt. She sat back on her stool, ignorant of the wounds, and continued her work.   
  
When the other team stopped to reload, Rei rushed forward. She leapt forward and viciously kicked one boy into the wall, then spun and fired her last two bullets into the other. She turned to Shinji as she slid a fresh magazine into her pistol. "Do you have it?"  
  
Shinji stood shakily and held the box up. "Let's get out of here," he suggested, looking at the damage. Blood pooled around the two fallen students. Shock and adrenaline caused Shinji's stomach to churn.  
  
They stepped onto the street and heard police sirens approaching. "This way," said Rei, grabbing Shinji's sleeve and running into an alley. Using the town's side streets and alleys, they managed to avoid the police and soldiers. Sporadic gunfire told them that some of the other teams were not so lucky.  
  
They got lost once, and had to call Kensuke for directions. He quickly got them back up the hill, within a few blocks of the bakery they would escape through.   
  
As Shinji rounded the last corner, a fist appeared and smashed into his jaw. Shinji tumbled back, dropping the box as he fell. Touji appeared over him, grinning. "Sorry, new kid. I'm afraid I had to do that."  
  
Rei grabbed her gun, but had it kicked out of her hand as Asuka leapt forward. Shinji tried to stand, only to be kicked away by Touji. The boy grabbed the box and turned to run.   
  
"Shoot him!" Rei yelled. Shinji drew his pistol and automatically sighted on the fleeing boy's back. He held his aim, but couldn't make himself pull the trigger.  
  
Behind him, Rei threw Asuka over her shoulder. The redhead landed on her back next to Shinji. Before she hit the ground, her weapon was out, and she fired a single round into Rei's chest.   
  
Shinji gasped as his teammate dropped to the ground. "How...how could you?" he asked.  
  
"Idiot. It's not real, this is a simulation." Standing, she demonstrated by shooting Shinji in the shoulder.   
  
The boy fell back, instinctively clutching his wound. He gasped at the burst of pain, and its immediate disappearance. "It's not real," he echoed.  
  
"Right. If you hadn't hesitated, you might have shot my moron teammate, and then maybe had a chance at winning. Maybe." Asuka leaned forward, tapping Shinji on the head with the barrel of her pistol. "Next time, DO NOT HESITATE." She turned and strolled down the street, mumbling loudly about incompetent boys.   
  
Shinji's cell phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and pressed talk.  
  
"I'll log you out now," said Kensuke.  
  
Shinji pulled the phone away from his ear, and stared at his blood-coated fingers. Everything flashed green for a moment, and then went dark.  
  
  
  
  
Shinji opened his eyes to find his Operator standing over him. Kensuke reached around and removed the link plug from his head. He looked over to the other chair. Rei's plug was already removed, but the girl still appeared to be asleep. She lay there for a moment, before her eyes fluttered open.  
  
"I'm sorry about that," Shinji began, when she turned to him.  
  
"Do not worry about it," Rei signed to him. "You did well for your first exercise."  
  
"She's right," added Kensuke. "You managed not to get hopelessly lost or do something stupid. That's better than most newbies do." Kensuke leaned back in his seat and sighed. "This sucks though. If those two win, we won't hear the end of it."  
  
Rei walked around to Kensuke's operator panel to watch the developments. "Perhaps they will be too busy arguing about who deserves more credit," she offered.  
  
Kensuke smiled. "I hope so." He pressed a few buttons, and a section of the code on one screen changed slightly.   
  
Shinji stepped next to the other two and watched the screen with them. "How do you know sign language?" he asked the operator.  
  
Kensuke glanced pointedly at him. "I learned it the old fashioned way. They don't let idiots into the school, you know." His expression quickly changed to a wry grin. "Well, not idiot Natives, at least."  
  
"Kensuke believes knowing how to communicate with me will get him assigned to the Neb someday," Rei said.  
  
"Jeez, you make it sound like I'm a stalker or something," Kensuke complained. "I'm just trying to be the most complete operator that I can be."  
  
Rei did not respond to Kensuke's defense, calmly watching the code. After a moment, she sighed faintly, and turned toward the other end of the room. "They will be out in a moment."  
  
Motioning for the boys to follow, Rei crossed the room to Asuka and Touji's station. Their operator greeted them cheerfully. "Hi Rei, Hi Kensuke. You guys did pretty good."   
  
"Not good enough," grumbled Kensuke.   
  
"Hey, there's always tomorrow," she offered. "You're Shinji, right?" she asked, offering her hand. "I'm Kelly."  
  
Shinji shook her hand. "Nice to meet you."  
  
She smiled brightly. "You too." Kelly, Shinji thought, was a girl who was not bothered by anything.  
  
Kelly swiveled in her seat, turning her headset on. "Operator." She paused for a moment, then continued. "One exit, coming right up."   
  
With the press of a few buttons, Asuka woke from her digitized dream. "You don't have to let Touji out, do you?" she asked.  
  
Kelly laughed. "Too late."   
  
Touji woke with a smile on his face. "Who's the man?" he asked loudly.  
  
"Not you," said Asuka.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"You took off running as soon as you got the flag, abandoning your own teammate. Fortunately, I was able to keep Shinji from putting a bullet in your back."  
  
"You're just mad because I'm the one who got the flag."  
  
"An idiot like you would think that."  
  
"Shut up, Red."  
  
"Don't make me hit you again!"  
  
"Are they always like this?" Shinji asked. Rei, Kensuke, and most of the rest of the class nodded.  
  
"We should leave before they start throwing furniture," said Kelly. "Again."  



	9. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: See Part II.   
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Chapter 7

  
  


  
After school, Shinji, Asuka, and Rei were met by Misato, who took them to the Council chamber. "They're meeting to discuss the battle," she explained, "and they might even have questions for you, Shinji."  
  
The session had already begun by the time they arrived. The council members sat at a long table at the front of the room. Several smaller tables were arranged facing the council, and the rows of seats rose behind them.   
  
Misato led the children to the seats saved for them, on the front row behind the Project staff's table. Morpheus quietly greeted them.  
  
"What have we missed?" asked Misato.  
  
Morpheus quietly answered. "A review of the battle, and some discussion about the Project's history."  
  
"Booorrrrring," muttered Asuka.  
  
Rei glanced around the room, noting the people that were there. Commander Fuyutsuki, Doctor Akagi, and some of their aides sat at one of the tables. Commander Lock and his senior officers were at another table. Project staffers were scattered throughout the crowd, and the Nebuchadnezzar's crew sat in the highest row.   
  
Rei realized that, with the Angel attacks finally starting, she would no longer be able to go with her father on his missions. While she had stayed behind in Zion many times before, she did not like the idea that she wouldn't travel on the Neb for a long time.  
  
Rei focused on the meeting again when commander Fuyutsuki stood to address the council. She had been working for him almost since the day she reached Zion, ten years before. Rei had realized at a young age that freed citizens formed their own family-like bonds. Morpheus had adopted her shortly after she was freed, and Kouzo and others at the Project felt like her extended family.  
  
Commander Fuyutsuki cleared his throat. "For the last twelve years we have prepared for this day. The Angels have finally come, and we are strong enough to face them."  
  
"Yes, so we have seen," said one of the councilors. "A single unit was enough to defeat an Angel the machines could not bring down. Yet we have three of them?"  
  
Fuyutsuki nodded. "This was only the first of many, and we cannot know the power and capabilities of the future Angels. I sometimes fear that three may prove insufficient."  
  
"But it took fifteen years for this angel to attack," argued another councilor.   
  
"The Oracle has indicated that the incident in Siberia was only a scout," the Commander warned, "and that the real attacks will swiftly follow each other. We must be ready to strike at the Angels as they appear. We have three Evangelions and three capable pilots. I must ask the council to reassign the Balthasar to the Project, so we can attack the Angels in force."  
  
"The Balthasar has been hauling resources from the mines for four years," said councilor Hamann. "Do you believe your use is more important that that?"  
  
Fuyutsuki nodded. "It is what she was built for." Hamann smirked, nodding in agreement.   
  
The council's oldest member cleared his throat. "Commander, the last Angel did not pose any threat to Zion. It was focused solely on attacking the machines. If these Angels could destroy the machines for us, why should we interfere?"  
  
"Councilor Lawrence, it is our understand that the Angels are a danger to all intelligent life on earth, not just the machines. Since they control most of the planet, they are the more obvious target, but that does not mean we can escape unnoticed."  
  
"That is a large assumption, Commander. If not the Angels, than can we use the Evangelions to bring down the Matrix?"  
  
Fuyutsuki's eyes narrowed. "That would be unwise. We do not know what kind of defenses the machines have, or what effect destroying their core would have on the people trapped in the Matrix. It may kill every human connected to the system, or it may suddenly wake them all, dooming them to starvation on a planet that cannot support them. And the prophecy states that the Matrix will be brought down from within."  
  
Lawrence frowned. "Thank you, Fuyutsuki. Commander Lock, would you care to answer my last question?"  
  
Lock rose to his feet glanced over at the other commander. "As Commander Fuyutsuki suggests, destroying the Matrix with the Evangelions may have disastrous consequences. However, it appears that they could destroy the machines, if we chose to do so."  
  
Lock stepped next to his table and faced the council. "From a purely strategic standpoint, the Evas are a weapon far more powerful than anything the machines have. The Angel withstood an N2 weapon, then self-destructed with even more force. But Unit 01 took only superficial damage."  
  
The commander glanced at his Project counterpart, then turned back to the council. "With proper combat commanders, the Evangelions would be unstoppable."  
  
A murmur buzzed through the crowd after Lock finished. He turned back to his table, only to have another aide run into the room. The newcomer quickly reached Lock and spoke quietly to him.  
  
"He can't say things like that," growled Asuka.  
  
Misato was equally furious. "I can't believe that. What a jerk," she muttered.  
  
Lock listened to the man quietly, then turned to face the council. "This discussion may have to be continued." He looked over to Fuyutsuki. "Another Angel has been detected."  
  
  
  
  
Ritsuko Akagi stepped into the center of the room, looking at the crowd around her. The briefing room was circular, with three rows of successively higher seats ringing the open area. The three pilots were seated in the front row, along with all the people that were essential to the mission. Every other seat was taken, and more people stood behind the last row, or crowded at the doorways.  
  
The Project Center's main meeting room was suddenly Zion's new hot spot. The standing-room-only crowd included the top members of the Project, along with other senior staffers and engineers, plus councilor members, Commander Lock and several of his officers, and anyone else who could convince the Project gate guards that they were important enough to be there.  
  
"As you all know, we received a report from the Xerxes that a large force of machines was detected." Akagi stepped to one edge of the open area and pulled a small remote from her pocket. Pressing a few buttons, she dimmed the room's lights and brought up a hologram that occupied the center of the room. The map showed the ship's location, several hundred miles from Zion.  
  
"The Xerxes intercepted a few transmissions indicating that they were proceeding to a staging area." Another marker appeared on the map, showing where the machines had gathered. A number above the mark indicated that over one hundred sentinels had been detected. "It then received an open communication from the machines, telling them that an Angel was detected, and asking them to report it to Zion."  
  
The map was replaced by a holographic image of the attacker. The monster had a long, squid-like body, with huge black eyes and two glowing tentacles. They watched as a group of sentinels was swatted with a tentacle, getting reduced to molten metal.  
  
"The machines have been unable to penetrate its AT Field, and the Angel's energy weapon is destroying everything they throw at it. The only effect the machines are having is slowing the Angel's progress, as it stops to destroy its attackers."  
  
The hologram changed again, going back to the map. The Angel was marked with a glowing red circle, and a line stretched from the circle toward a power plant. "The Angel's course will take it to the machine's regional plant in twenty hours. If we launch in the next hour, can intercept the Angel before it reaches its target."   
  
"The Evangelions are already being loaded into the transports. Unit 01 will be carried by the Casper, and will be piloted by Shinji Ikari. Unit 02 will be on the Melchior, piloted by Asuka Langley. The Casper will be our command ship. Crew assignments for each ship will be given in half an hour."  
  
Ritsuko pressed her remote, turning the lights back to full power. The meeting concluded, everybody in the room rose to their feet and began talking. Ritsuko and Fuyutsuki were immediately assaulted with questions.  
  
Councilor Hamann pushed his way through the crowd to Commander Fuyutsuki. "Stop bothering the man," he said to the others around him. "This isn't a pleasure cruise, so quit asking to go along for the ride."  
  
Kouzo smiled at the councilor as they made their way out of the room together. Once they reached the quieter hallway, he thanked him.  
  
"Don't mention it," Hamann answered. "Truthfully, I want to ask the same thing. I've supported the Project from the start, and I would like to see that it has become what we hoped it would be."  
  
Fuyutsuki opened his mouth to speak, then hesitated. "Very well," he relented. "I can allow a handful of people to come with us on the Casper."  
  
"Thank you, Commander," Hamann replied. "Is there any way I can help you prepare?"   
  
Fuyutsuki looked back down the hallway, to see several more people approaching. "You could keep people form bothering the staff with trivial questions."  
  
Hamann laughed. "I can do that for you. I could even select the people that will accompany you on the mission."  
  
Fuyutsuki nodded, and quickly walked down the hall. Hamann turned to the newcomers and smiled brightly.  
  
  
  
  
The pilots were quickly ushered into another room, and were kept isolated from the crowd outside. Morpheus and Misato had managed to find their way in, and joined the teenagers in nervous anticipation.  
  
After ten minutes, Asuka jumped from her seat and began pacing. "Now is my chance," she muttered to herself.   
  
"What was that?" Misato asked.  
  
"Nothing." The redhead continued to pace. Everyone else watched her cross the small room. She took four steps in one direction, turned, and took four more steps, stopping at the other wall.   
  
"Don't black out this time, Third," she said as she passed Shinji.  
  
"Huh?"   
  
Asuka glared at the boy. "I said don't black out. Otherwise, you might miss a demonstration of real piloting skills."  
  
Shinji watched her as she still paced. "Um, okay."  
  
Asuka spun and bent over Shinji, bringing her face within inches of his. "What do you mean 'okay'? Just follow my lead out there, got it? And what are you laughing at?" she yelled, turning toward Misato.  
  
The operator snickered again. "Nervous?"  
  
"No!" Asuka retorted. The door opened before she could elaborate, so she settled for glaring at Misato.  
  
Ritsuko Akagi walked into the room, carrying a data pad. "We've finished loading the Evangelions, and are ready for you to board the ships. Asuka, you'll go on the Melchior; Shinji, you're on the Casper."  
  
"So why is he fighting?" asked Asuka. "Why not Rei? She's better trained."  
  
"Because Shinji has already defeated an Angel," Ritsuko answered. "And he is only familiar with 01. Unless you think Rei should pilot 02."  
  
"No!" Asuka yelled. She quickly turned to Rei. "Now don't think I'm being rude. You've just never used 02 before, and it's different enough from 00 that it could hurt your response time in combat."  
  
Rei nodded. "I understand. You are very possessive of the Eva."  
  
"And Rei tells it like it is," Misato commented.  
  
"Rei, you'll come on the Casper too," said Ritsuko. "You are familiar with 01, and it would be wise to have a backup pilot along on the mission."  
  
"And father?" she signed.  
  
"You are welcome to observe the operation, Morpheus. We would appreciate having your expertise with us."  
  
Morpheus nodded. "Thank you."  
  
Akagi turned to Misato. "And I would like you there also. Maya and Dozer will be on the Melchior, so I need a third person on the command deck. You did well last time, and I think you can help us again."  
  
Misato shrugged. "Well, I don't know. It's a long way to go, just to have a little fight." She laughed as Ritsuko's eyebrow twitched. "You're too serious, Ritsuko. Of course I'll do it."  
  
  
  
  
As they boarded the ship, Commander Fuyutsuki invited Shinji to watch the takeoff from the cockpit. He accepted, and followed the man to the ship's forwardmost section. Like everything else on the transport ship, the cockpit was bigger than on a regular hovercraft. Only one seat was occupied, so Fuyutsuki motioned for Shinji to sit the right seat, while he took the one next to it.   
  
"We are powered up and ready to go, sir," Tank reported from the pilot seat. "The Melchior reports the same."  
  
"Lift off," Fuyutsuki commanded, picking up a head set. "Casper to Zion control, prepare to open the gates."  
  
A woman's voice responded over the radio. "Roger, Casper. Gates opening, pulsars disabled. Good hunting."  
  
Fuyutsuki put the headset away and watched the walls of the Geofront approach. Shinji leaned forward to see where they were headed. The tunnel that the Nebuchadnezzar had used to reach Zion was far too small for the huge Eva transports.   
  
The ship rose to a point halfway up the dome and slowed slightly. A massive door set in the wall slid apart, letting the ship into a huge tunnel. Shinji looked down the tunnel, which angled upward for miles. Other doors were opening, further up the tunnel.  
  
"This tunnel leads straight to the surface," explained Fuyutsuki. "The transports could never fly the underground tunnels that the fleet uses. Then again, we're not trying to be so discreet with these."  
  
Shinji saw a large, low metal dome in the ground of the tunnel. "What is that thing?" he asked.  
  
"We call that a pulsar," said Tank. "It's an EMP weapon. If the machines ever tried to come down this tunnel, we set it off, and fry all their systems. But what they don't know is that this thing can fire again and again. So if another wave tries to come down, we cook them, too."  
  
"Not that we expect the machines to attack Zion," added Fuyutsuki. "They no longer have to forces to mount a full scale attack on Geofront."  
  
"But once we're outside, they could attack us, couldn't they?" asked Shinji.  
  
"Ah, but they won't," said Tank. "The machines basically asked for us to come fight the Angel for them. We can't save them if they try to attack us."  
  
Fuyutsuki turned in his seat to face Shinji. "Are you ready for this?"  
  
"For fighting in the Eva again?" Shinji asked. When the commander nodded, he continued. "I guess so. It helps that I got a few days of training after we arrived in Zion. I'll know what I'm doing this time."  
  
"Your training is incomplete," Fuyutsuki said. "But we only have the time the Angels give us. Let Asuka take the lead in this battle, and help her as you can."  
  
Shinji nodded.  
  
The tunnel ended, opening into deep darkness. Occasional flashes of lighting played across the sky, briefly lighting the rocky landscape. "It's so dark," Shinji remarked.  
  
"It's after sundown," explained Tank.  
  
Shinji stared up through the overhead window. The brief flashes illuminated the bottoms of heavy, dark clouds. It was his first time on the surface after being freed, and he had hoped to see the stars.  
  
As they flew, the Balthasar pulled alongside the Casper. The two ships flew side by side, over the undulating hills below.   
  
"Why don't you go get some rest," suggested the Commander. "We won't reach the Angel for about ten hours."  
  
Shinji agreed, and left to find his assigned cabin.  
  
  
  
  
Dozer sat at the controls of the Melchior. With the command staff all aboard the Casper, where they could manage the battle, he was placed in charge of the second ship, with a small compliment of technicians.   
  
Dozer glanced to his left, imaging he could see his brother in the Casper's cockpit. In fact, the ships were almost a mile apart, hugging the smooth plain they were crossing.   
  
The distance between them saved both ships. Dozer had only a second's warning before half the port hover pads failed, causing the Melchior to turn sharply to the left. As alarms rang around him, Dozer quickly increased the power to the remaining port pads.   
  
The ship swung wildly around its axis, under the deft control of the pilot. Dozer dropped the landing gear and set the ship down in a bone-jarring landing.  
  
For a moment he simply stared out the windshield, gripping the control sticks fiercely. He shook himself and began silencing the alarms.   
  
The radio crackled as Tank's voice reached his ears. "Melchior, what happened?"  
  
"We had a pad failure, bro," he said.   
  
Maya Ibuki limped into the cockpit and quickly sat in the chair next to dozer. She pulled up a holographic display to examine the problem.   
  
"How bad is it?" asked Tank.  
  
"We're checking now. You better get the commander."  
  
"Copy." The radio went silent for a moment as Dozer and Maya examined the displays. More crewmembers began to arrive. Maya quickly ordered several of the to check on the Evangelion, and sent the rest to check for damage to the ship.  
  
"Dozer, what happened?"  
  
"Commander, we've had a power failure on the port of hover pad banks. There's no power to half the pads."  
  
"Can you fix it?" the Fuyutsuki asked.  
  
Dozer glanced at Maya. They both mentally assessed the situation and reached a silent agreement. "Not here sir. There are a thousand things it could be. We can still move, but not very fast. Half speed, at best."  
  
Fuyutsuki was silent for a moment. "We can't afford a delay," he finally decided. "Return to Zion, we'll intercept the Angel with unit 01."  
  
Dozer sighed. "Copy, commander. Good luck." He pulled of the headset and threw it at the console.  
  
Maya looked no less agitated. "This is what we get for rushing out in an unfinished ship," she grumbled. "Let's see what we have to do to go home."  
  
The both turned to see Asuka standing at the cockpit's entrance. The girl glared at both of them for a long moment, as though the failure was their fault. She turned and walked away, disappearing into the Eva bay.  
  
"That went better then I would have thought," mused Dozer.  
  
  
  
  
Shinji didn't find out about the problem until he woke, several hours later. Misato broke the news to him during breakfast. Already nervous, Shinji found his appetite completely gone after that.  
  
With one hour before intercept, Shinji was taken to the conference room on the ship for a briefing. The small room was crowded with the extra passengers who had come along. Councilors Hamann and Lawrence, Commander Lock, and two of his aides, Mifune and Sims, had all accompanied the mission.   
  
They now sat or stood around the conference table, along with Shinji and the technicians who would direct the battle. Ritsuko Akagi began the briefing.   
  
"As you are aware, the Melchior experienced a system failure that forced it to turn back to Zion. Despite this, we are fully confident that we can defeat the Angel.  
  
"A sizable force of sentinels is currently attacking the Angel. They are not able to penetrate the Angel's AT Field, but the Angel is having difficulty destroying them. Its only weapon appears to be two charged tentacles, which cut through the sentinels when the manage to hit one."  
  
"Excuse me, doctor," Lock interrupted. "Won't the Evangelion be an easier target for the Angel to hit?"  
  
"The Eva has its own AT field, which it should be able to defend itself with," the woman answered. Once Unit 01 reaches the Angel, it will extend its AT Field, neutralize the Angel's Field, and destroy its core."  
  
"Perfectly easy," remarked Misato. She flashed a confident smile to Shinji. "We'll be on our way home in no time."  
  
  
  
  
"Perfectly easy?" asked Morpheus. He and Misato had walked Shinji down to the Eva bay, and were on their way back to the command center.   
  
Misato shrugged. "I thought he needed some encouragement. He looked pretty shaken when I told him he was fighting alone again. And all those old men and their sour expressions weren't helping any."  
  
"He's still going to fight, though," said Morpheus. "He could have easily asked for Rei to be sent instead."  
  
Misato glanced over her should at Rei, who followed behind them. "Are you glad he didn't ask, Morpheus?" Morpheus did not answer the question, but Misato had her suspicions.   
  
They parted as they reached the command center. Morpheus and Rei went to the conference room, while Misato took her place in the rightmost seat of the command console. Slipping on her headset, she flashed a thumbs-up to the other two techs, Shigeru and Makoto.  
  
Makoto twisted around in his seat, facing the commander. "Ten minutes to the drop point," he said.  
  
Fuyutsuki nodded. "Begin synchronization."  
  
Misato spoke into her headset. "Shinji, can you hear me?"   
  
"Yes," he answered.  
  
"We're starting the synchronization."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Flooding the entry plug with LCL," Shigeru reported. They waited a moment for the plug to fill, and to see the pilot's reaction. After a brief, instinctive moment of panic, Shinji relaxed, and breathed the liquid deeply.  
  
"He's handling it much better this time," Misato commented.  
  
Shigeru began the next step. "Activating the link. Input has begun...0.3, 0.2, 0.1...borderline...sync! He's connected to the Eva."  
  
"What's his ratio?" Ritsuko asked.  
  
"Forty-eight percent," Shigeru answered.  
  
"He's up four points from last week?" Misato asked. "Is that possible?"   
  
"It hasn't been done before," Ritsuko remarked. She turned and faced the back wall. A long section at the top of the wall had been folded down, allowing the conference room to look into the commander center. All of the extra passengers were crowded into it, watching intently.  
  
Rei was near one edge of the window, standing in front of Morpheus. Ritsuko wasn't certain, but she thought the girl looked impressed with the information.   
  
"There's a transmission coming in from the machines," Makoto announced.   
  
"Let's hear it," Fuyutsuki said.  
  
A deep artificial voice echoed out of the speakers. "MAGI to Zion ship. Please respond."  
  
Fuyutsuki nodded to Misato. "Copy, MAGI," she said into her headset. "We hear you."  
  
In the conference room, Morpheus and Lock glanced at each other. "MAGI?" Lock mouthed. Morpheus shrugged.  
  
"Have you brought the humanoid fighting machine?" the voice asked.  
  
Misato glanced back at the commander, who nodded again. "Roger, we have brought our Evangelion."  
  
"Our forces will withdraw. Engage and destroy the Angel."  
  
The transmission ended. "Well, nice of them to ask," Misato said.  
  
"Two minutes to intercept," Makoto reported.  
  
The process to drop the Eva quickly began. The huge doors underneath the ship slid aside and Unit 01 was swung down to a vertical position. Shinji could see the Angel ahead of him, with sentinels flying around it like flies. As the Casper drew closer they flew away, and the Angel turned to face the oncoming Eva.  
  
"Drop Unit 01," ordered Ritsuko.  
  
The Eva fell away from the transport, hitting the ground and skidding forward. The Casper rose and banked away sharply as the Eva straightened.  
  
The Angel reared up like a cobra as it stared at the Eva with huge, glassy eyes. Its long tentacles gently swayed at its sides as it sized up the new opponent. The two titans stood for an agonizingly long moment, staring each other down.   
  
A blur of red was all Shinji had for warning as one of the tentacles lashed forward at Unit 01. He instinctively raised the Eva's right arm to block it. The tentacle snapped across the arm, searing the armor and eliciting a pained gasp from the pilot. Shinji backed away, dodging a swipe from the Angel's other tentacle, as the command crew analyzed the battle.   
  
"Minor surface damage to the armor," Makoto reported. "Those tentacles seem to contain some kind of charged plasma; it could melt through the Eva with prolonged contact."  
  
"Shinji, don't let it hit you," Misato said, only to see both tentacles strike Unit 01 in the chest, toppling it backwards. "Use your AT Field to defend yourself."  
  
"Okay," the boy groaned. As the Angel approached to attack, he focused on raising the barrier. The orange field appeared as the Angel swung a tentacle down, getting it sliced off as it crossed the barrier. The Angel screeched and backed away, the damaged tentacle waving erratically.  
  
"Shinji, use the knife to pierce the Angel's core!" Misato shouted.  
  
The Eva climbed to its feet, drawing the huge knife from it's shoulder housing. As the blade came to life, Shinji charged toward the Angel and lunged forward, leading with the knife.   
  
The Angel twisted, taking its core out the path of the glowing blade edge. It sank into the softer flesh of the Angel's body, drawing another earth shattering screech. The Angel twisted and drove its unharmed tentacle through Unit 01's right hand.   
  
Shinji screamed and backed away as the knife fell to the ground. The Eva held it's mangled right hand in its left, mimicking the posture of the pilot inside.   
  
"Sensory input is too high," Shigeru reported. "His synch is dropping."  
  
"Disable the right forearm," Fuyutsuki commanded.  
  
Shinji let out another gasp as the pain suddenly disappeared. The Eva's right arm hung limply at its side. Shinji turned to find his opponent, spotting it as Misato yelled a warning. The Angel had dropped back down to the ground and rushed forward. It slammed into the Eva's legs, knocking it to the ground.  
  
The Eva hit the ground face first, knocking Shinji to the edge of consciousness. He was vaguely aware of the shouts directed to him from the Casper. Shinji turned his head and saw the Angel coming at him again. The monster slammed into the Eva's side, causing it to roll several times. The Angel lashed the Eva with its tentacles as it flew over, leaving great scorch marks across the Eva's back and shoulders.  
  
"Shinji, get out of there," Ritsuko ordered. "We'll make a decoy run and try to draw the Angel away. Get back and we'll regroup."   
  
The woman quickly gave orders, and the Casper began to fly forward. The transport had been waiting several miles away, watching the fight. The command crew ignored the muttering coming from their observers as the ship accelerated.   
  
The Angel turned at the Eva again, as Shinji was trying to climb to his feet. The Angel crossed the Casper's path a few hundred years ahead of the ship. As they reached the nearest point, the Casper's cannons opened fire, pounding the Angel's AT Field with hundreds of rounds of molten metal.  
  
The Angel swung its damaged tentacle at the hovercraft, narrowly missing the ship. The Casper banked to the right, quickly getting away from the Angel. But the Angel showed a sudden burst of speed as it finished turning, and began closing the gap on the Casper.  
  
Shinji had gotten the Eva to its feet, and he watched as the Angel turned its attention to the Casper. "It's going to catch you," he said."  
  
"Shinji, get out of here," ordered Misato.  
  
The Angel swung its good tentacle forward. The tip of it grazed the tail of the Casper, slicing through the ship's skin. The back end of the Casper dipped slightly as several of the rear hover pads lost power.  
  
"NO!" Shinji screamed, lunging forward. He collided with the Angel, letting its head hit Unit 01's torso as he wrapped the Eva's good arm around the Angel. The monster tried to twist and buck the Evangelion away, but Shinji held firm.  
  
The Angel's good tentacle lanced forward, piercing the Evangelions stomach. Shinji screamed in rage and pain as he continued to hold on, trying to strangle the Angel. He brought the damaged right arm up, further reinforcing his hold on the Angel.  
  
"The left power cell has been pierced!" Makoto yelled. "He'll lose power in a few minutes!"  
  
"Shinji, you've got to get out of there!" Ritsuko shouted.  
  
Misato could only watch as the boy continued to scream at the Angel, ignoring their commands. A flash of movement at the edge of the view screen caught her attention. "Shinji, turn the Angel over," she ordered.   
  
The rest of the command staff snapped their attention to her. "What are you-" Ritsuko began.  
  
"Expose its core, then nullify its AT Field with your own," Misato continued. She quickly changed the radio's frequencies and called out again. "MAGI, this is the Casper, are you still there?"  
  
"Yes," the mechanical voice answered.  
  
"Move in and destroy the Angel's core," Misato said.  
  
The machine did not immediately respond. As they watched, the Evangelion fell onto its right side, twisting the Angel around so its core was visible. The monster struggled but couldn't get free as the Eva held it down. There was a brief shimmer of orange light, and as it faded the Angel's thrashing grew more violent.  
  
"We will comply," the MAGI finally said.  
  
Dozens of sentinels streamed out of their hiding places. The machines swarmed around the Angel, grabbing onto it with their clawed tentacles and cutting it with lasers. The Angel tried to swat them away with its free tentacle, but the damaged limb couldn't destroy enough of them. The sentinels clung thick as bees to the Angel's body, piercing the core in countless places.   
  
With a last shudder, the core darkened and the Angel died. The great floating body fell to the ground with an earthshaking impact, while its tentacles lost their glow and fell away limply.  
  
Shinji panted in the cockpit, watching the sentinels continue to carve into the Angel. They had spread out from the core, cutting into all parts of the monster.   
  
As the Eva stood, the sentinels scattered, disappearing into tunnels that led below ground. Many of them carried slices cut from the Angel's core and body.   
  
A single sentinel flew slowly upwards, finally leveling out before Unit 01's face. A deep, synthesized voice carried though the radio. "Well fought, human," it said. With that, the machine turned over and dove for the tunnels, following the rest of the sentinels below ground.

* * *

Author's Notes:  
  
There it is, the second battle. Please, review and tell me how well it was done.  
  
I will be changing the name of this fic soon. When I began writing, I did not know that there would be a Deus Ex Machina in Matrix Revolutions. (That was the big floating machine that Neo talks to near the end of the movie.) I don't believe that my use of that term is justified now, and I may not have properly explained its use anyway. (Deus Ex Machina is Latin, and means A god out of a Machine.)  
  
When the name change happens, probably with the next chapter, I will be sure to note it in the summary.   
  
Again, thank you for reading my little story.  



	10. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: See Part II.   
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Chapter 8

  
  


  
  
Morpheus sat at the pilot controls of the Casper, casually monitoring the ship's progress. He had volunteered to fly the ship back to Zion so that the crew could rest. None of the Project staffers had slept during the flight to the Angel, and the evening departure from Zion meant that most had been awake for a full day.   
  
Running on the surface, which was the only place the huge transport could fly, required far less concentration than flying in the below ground tunnels. Morpheus found this fortunate; four others who had also managed to rest during the overnight flight were in the cockpit with him.  
  
"Commander, didn't the battle prove that the Project is capable of defeating the Angels?" Councilor Hamann asked.  
  
Lock sat in the co-pilot seat next to Morpheus, though he had the chair turned around to face Hamann, who stood at the back of the cockpit. "It proved how powerful the Evangelions are, but I don't think the Project used it effectively in the battle."  
  
"Could you explain, sir?" Morpheus asked.  
  
"They sent out their least trained pilot. Wouldn't Rei have been a better choice?" he asked.   
  
Morpheus was slow to answer, not turning his eyes away from the distant horizon. "Shinji was chosen because he already had combat experience."  
  
Lock frowned. "An experience he barely survived. In addition, they only attacked with one unit. The Melchior was slowed but not disabled. We could have intercepted the Angel later, and fought with both units."  
  
"It would have been very close to the machine's power plant," Hamann replied. "If this Angel had exploded like the last one, it would have devastated the plant."  
  
"Would that have been bad?" asked Councilor Lawrence, from his seat next to Lock.  
  
"It would have killed countless prisoners," Mifune replied from his place at the back of the cockpit.   
  
"The Evas are not considered in the Prophecy," Morpheus added. "When the time comes, the One will bring down the Matrix."  
  
Lock sighed. "We will still consider the possibility of using the Evas to end the war, captain."  
  
Lawrence turned to Lock. "In the end, they did devise a strategy to destroy the Angel."  
  
"But it wasn't anyone from the Project," Lock replied. "That was Morpheus' operator, Misato Katsuragi, who summoned the sentinels to attack the Angel."  
  
"She is Katsuragi's daughter," added Mifune. "It should not be surprising that she figured out how to win the fight. During the expedition, she proved she was a natural tactician."  
  
Lock turned to Morpheus. "How long until we reach Zion?"  
  
"About five more hours," Morpheus answered.  
  
Lock rose from his seat. "Good. Councilors, when we get back to Zion, I think we should recommend that the Balthasar be transferred back to the Project." Receiving nods from both men, Lock strode out of the cockpit.  
  
Morpheus glanced back at Mifune. "He's planning something, isn't he?"  
  
Mifune shrugged. "It looks like it."  
  
  
  
  
Shinji awoke when his shoulder was gently shaken. He cracked open an eye and saw Rei withdraw her right hand tentatively, and then grasp her left elbow with it.  
  
"Yeah?" Shinji asked sleepily. "Are we back in Zion?"  
  
Rei nodded. "You slept for the entire trip."  
  
Shinji sat up and yawned. "I don't feel like it."  
  
Rei stood over him for a moment, then turned and walked out of the room. Shinji stood and followed a moment later. Rei was gone, but Misato was coming down the hall.  
  
"Hey, there you are. Ready to go home?" she asked.  
  
Shinji nodded, yawning. "Sure."  
  
"Why are you so tired?" Misato asked suspiciously. "You slept for the entire trip, didn't you?"   
  
"Huh?"   
  
"Or did something keep you up. I noticed Rei leaving your room right before you came out." Misato grinned evilly. "Where you two up to something during the ride home?"  
  
"W-wha-what?" Shinji sputtered as he turned red. "You can't mean...I wouldn't..."  
  
Misato laughed loudly as Shinji blushed. "I knew you would be fun to tease. Come on, lets get out of here." Throwing an arm around the boy's neck, Misato drug him out of the Casper.  
  
They reached the apartment a short time later, where Misato finally released her chokehold on Shinji. "We're home," she called loudly. Silence was the only response, causing her to frown. "Asuka, are you here?"  
  
Misato walked further into the apartment, calling Asuka's name. The apartment's lights were on, indicating that Asuka should be around, but there was no response from the girl.   
  
She glanced back and saw Shinji standing near the apartment's entrance. "Don't act like a stranger, Shinji. This is your home, too."  
  
"Sorry," Shinji muttered, walking further into the apartment.   
  
Misato reached Asuka's bedroom and opened the door. Asuka sat at her desk, staring at a terminal screen. "There you are," Misato said. "We're home!"  
  
Asuka didn't turn from the terminal. "I heard."  
  
"And you didn't come to greet the victors?" Misato asked, grinning. Her expression slipped slightly as Asuka continued to ignore her cheerfulness. "So, when did you get back?"  
  
"A few hours ago," Asuka answered. "The Melchior barely reached half speed after the power failure." Asuka finally turned to face Misato, then stood and crossed the room. "I'm going to sleep," she announced, turning off the light.  
  
Misato stared into the room for a moment, confused. She finally shrugged and closed the door. "Must be one of her moods," she muttered.   
  
"Did Asuka go to bed already?" Shinji asked.  
  
"Yeah. It is after nine, you know," Misato answered. "I think I'll go to bed soon, too." Misato went to the tiny kitchen and opened the refrigerator, pulling out a large metal jug. She poured some of the alcohol into the cup and drank it, sighing happily as it went down.  
  
"I know you slept for the entire trip..." Misato began, realizing that the boy had not followed her into the kitchen. "Shinji?"  
  
Misato walked back toward the bedrooms. The door to Shinji's room was open. Looking in, she saw him sprawled on his bed, snoring lightly. Misato watched him for a moment, smiling slightly.  
  
"You did a good thing out there, Shinji," she finally said. "And...I'm glad that you're here." She closed the door a moment later, as Shinji slept.  
  
  
  
  
"Not only did we have to yell at him repeatedly to wake up, but the little pervert almost walked into the bathroom while I was showering!"  
  
Asuka sat near the edge of the school's roof, explaining all the character failings of her new roommate. Her three listeners were less than attentive, primarily interested in their lunches.  
  
"He didn't do it on purpose, did he?" Kelly asked between bites.  
  
"He said it was an accident," Asuka replied. "It was a good thing I had the door locked."  
  
"I dunno," Kelly replied, looking across the roof to where Shinji sat with some other students. "He's looked out of it all morning, like he barely slept last night."  
  
"He fell asleep as soon as he got home," Asuka replied.  
  
"He also slept for the entire return trip," Rei added.  
  
"Maybe he's ill," offered Hikari. "I got sick right after I got out." Hikari had suffered the flu-like "freedom sickness", the combined effects of a weakened body and exposure to the harsh surface conditions before the retrieval ship found her.   
  
"He's been out for several weeks," Asuka countered. "I think he's just lazy."  
  
Asuka and Kelly turned to Rei as she sighed quietly. Over time, her friends had learned to pick up on nuances in her posture and breathing, subtle physical signs that replaced spoken nuances.  
  
"What?" Asuka asked, mildly annoyed with Rei's disagreement.  
  
"Perhaps he is still adjusting to the real world," Rei said.  
  
"The doctors say it takes a while for a body to adjust to disconnection," Kelly added. "It's supposed to be hardest on teenagers."  
  
"I know I'm not sleeping very much," Hikari said. "At most, five hours a night, but I never feel tired."  
  
Asuka nodded, processing this information. "Yeah, a person's body will react to having the power draining stopped. Your system is probably still producing excess energy. You were a good little battery, Hikari," she added, getting a laugh from two of the girls.  
  
"But I still think Shinji is lazy."  
  
  
  
  
"No way! I don't believe it," Kensuke declared.  
  
"That's how it happened," Shinji answered.  
  
"The sentinels helped you defeat the Angel, and then just left?" Kensuke frowned, trying to accept this. "They didn't try to destroy the ship?"  
  
Shinji nodded. "The Casper stayed there for three hours, and they never came close."  
  
"Why were you there so long?"   
  
"The sentinels had cut up pieces of the Angel to take with them, and the Commander wanted to do the same. Also, they picked up as many destroyed sentinels as they could find."  
  
Kensuke nodded. "Salvage. There are a lot of useful parts in a damaged sentinel. Hey, maybe they'll send one or two over to the school," he said hopefully.  
  
Kensuke was prepared to discuss at length his love for such "dissection" projects, but the lunch bell rang before he could begin. The students on the roof filed down the stairs, returning to their classrooms. They took their desks and waited expectantly for class to start again.  
  
Their teacher arrived and looked around the classroom, counting the students present. Satisfied that everyone had returned, he walked over to the window and stared out at Zion. "Operations in the Matrix are always filled with the unexpected. I remember a time, it was 1981 in the Matrix, when a message from the Oracle fell into the hands of a gang in Hong Kong, and my ship was sent to retrieve it..."  
  
A series of quiet sighs went up around the classroom, as the professor launched into another one of his stories. Some students where exasperated with another random trip down memory lane. Others slumped down in relief, as the story would run for most of the afternoon period, offering a day's reprieve from the expected trigonometry test.  
  
  
  
  
Misato paused to take a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She raised a hand and knocked on the door.   
  
"Come in," Commander Lock ordered. He glanced up as the woman entered his office. "You're late, Miss Katsuragi."  
  
"I'm sorry sir. I was working on installing new power cells in the Neb."  
  
"You've been on the Nebuchadnezzar for some time now, haven't you?" Lock asked.  
  
Misato nodded. "Yes sir, for six years now."  
  
Lock motioned Misato toward a seat. "How have you felt about your position?"  
  
"On the Neb? I feel like I've been at the focal point of the war with the machines. Morpheus takes us on more missions, longer missions, than any other captain. And ever since Neo arrived, things have been even more exciting."  
  
Lock nodded. "What do you think of the Prophecy?" he asked, emphasizing the last word with mild distaste.  
  
Misato frowned slightly. "I didn't really believe it before I joined the Nebuchadnezzar, but since we got Neo out..." She bit her lower lip, choosing her words. "For four years, I've seen him do one incredible thing after another. Agents can't stand up to him, more minds are freed in a month than we used to release in a year-"  
  
Lock waived a hand, cutting her off. "Yes, yes, Morpheus has shared those arguments with me many times. Neo is impressive, but it's not the first time someone has come along who had a stronger aptitude for manipulating the Matrix than anyone else."  
  
"No one has ever flown before, sir," Misato said.   
  
"Once, nobody could jump hundreds of feet," Lock countered. "How did you get involved with the Project?" he asked.  
  
"Through Morpheus. Project E was starting serious testing of the first Eva, and Morpheus was spending every free minute over there. He'd probably deny it, but he was very nervous about letting his daughter be their test pilot." Misato smiled, remembering   
  
"I was assigned to the Neb as it was undergoing an overhaul, so we were in Zion for some time. I knew several of the techs on the Project's staff, so they had me help out."  
  
"And you learned enough to help them run two battles," Lock observed.  
  
Misato shrugged. "I only helped a little bit. Really, my job wasn't too different from operating while a crew is jacked into the Matrix."  
  
"What about the last battle?" Lock asked. "You figured out how to destroy the Angel. You asked the machines to help us!" the commander exclaimed.  
  
"It seemed like the only option, sir." Lock nodded, so Misato continued. "Shinji, or rather, the Evangelion, had been damaged, and didn't appear capable of killing the Angel. I saw a sentinel on one of the monitors, and I, well, improvised."  
  
"You improvised?" Lock repeated.   
  
Misato nodded, paling slightly at the commander's tone.   
  
"Frankly," Lock continued, "you were the only person on that deck that showed an ounce of tactical sense."   
  
Misato blinked, processing the sudden praise.  
  
"I have also seen your records from the expedition. If you are half as cool under fire as the reports said, you would be a valuable asset to the Project."  
  
"Are you taking me off the Neb?" Misato asked.  
  
"I think, Katsuragi, that you can better serve Zion in Project E." Lock leaned back in his chair, turning his terminal screen to face the woman. "I can have you transferred over by tomorrow morning, as a tactical officer for the Evangelions."  
  
Misato stared at the screen for several moments. She nodded dumbly, as the rest of the displayed information sank in. "Yes-yes sir. I'll do it, sir."  
  
Lock smiled. "Good. And congratulations, Captain Katsuragi."  
  
  
  
  
  
Kensuke sat at the operator terminal, preparing to launch the day's exercise. "That's the first time the professor has used one of his stories to introduce a drill," he remarked.  
  
"You've heard that story before?" Shinji asked. He was standing behind Kensuke's seat, watching how Kensuke operated while he waited his turn to jack in.  
  
"All the time," Kensuke answered.  
  
"It's not like he tells the same story everyday," Kelly piped up. Her operator station was right behind Kensuke's, and she sat with her back to the two boys. "The professor has lots of stories about his times in the Matrix. There's usually some good advice in them about what we'll see when we get to the Matrix."  
  
Kensuke shrugged. "Yeah, but he runs through all of them every month. After a dozen times, I start to fall asleep."  
  
Kelly grinned at the boys over her shoulder. "That's because you have a short attention span, Kensuke."  
  
"What?" he asked, feigning confusion.  
  
Kelly laughed as she turned back to her terminal. Kensuke pressed a few buttons on his own terminal, then looked up to his two subjects. "You guys ready?" he asked.  
  
Rei answered with a brief nod, closing her eyes and relaxing in her seat. Her opponent grinned and flashed a thumbs up. "Let's do this," he said.  
  
Kensuke pressed a button, launching both teens into the Construct. He leaned back as lines of code began streaming down his display. "Can you read the code yet?" he asked Shinji.  
  
Shinji nodded. "I'm starting to understand it."  
  
"Why don't you do tell me what happens, then," Kensuke suggested. "You know, a play-by-play commentary, to see how well your doing."  
  
"Can't you read it?" Shinji asked.  
  
"Yeah, but it took me several years to learn how. Come on, they're about to start."  
  
Shinji focused on the screen, trying to visualize what it read. Following the flowing lines of code was similar to reading a book whose text was always changing. Shinji found the lines that represented the two teenage.  
  
"Okay, they're in separate rooms right now," he began. "They've chosen weapons, Rei has a sword, Mouse has...nunchacks?"  
  
Kensuke nodded. "Right. Probably not the best choice for him. Too flashy a weapon."  
  
"They're in the main room now. It's fairly large, has um...wood columns. A dojo?" Kensuke nodded, so Shinji continued. "They're walking into the room. Rei bowed, Mouse said 'hi'. Um...Mouse attacked, Rei blocked and then tried to kick him, Mouse jumped over her, Rei..." Shinji frowned as the code began scrolling faster. "I lost it," he confessed.  
  
Kensuke smiled. "Whenever Rei 'talks', whatever it is she does causes the code to read strangely. It's confusing if you don't know what to expect."   
  
Kensuke leaned forward, concentrating on the monitors. "Rei told him not to hold back. Not that Mouse will listen. He's pretty good, but he can't seem to go all out on girls. Especially Rei; I think he has a bit of a crush on her," he added.  
  
"Along with Kensuke and every other boy in the class," Kelly quipped from her console.  
  
Kensuke sighed as the other operator giggled. "Anyway...Mouse is fending off Rei's attacks, for now. She has a tai chi sword, and is very quick - OUCH! Mouse just clipped her in the head."  
  
"Is she okay?" Shinji quickly asked.  
  
"Yeah, she kicked him across the room. Okay, now it's getting ugly. Mouse swung his nunchacks, Rei blocked and kicked his legs aside. Mouse hits her in the ankles with his weapon, Rei falls, but gets away before he can smash her head. Wow, he's actually going for it. Mouse just caught Rei in the side, but she cut his leg. They're both limping..."   
  
Shinji looked up from the console. As Kensuke called the fight, he could see the two teenagers rocking in their seats as they took blows in the construct. He gasped as Mouse almost sat upright in the seat. That's got to hurt, he thought.  
  
"Wow! We have a winner!" Kensuke declared.  
  
"What?" Shinji asked. "Who won?"  
  
"Jeez, where'd you go?" Kensuke grumbled. "Rei drove her sword right through Mouse."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Go unplug them!" Kensuke ordered. Shinji did as told, stepping around the console and disconnecting the link plugs from his classmates.  
  
Mouse sat up first, absentmindedly rubbing the phantom chest injury he had sustained. He turned to look at the other chair. "Good fight, Rei," he said.  
  
Rei opened her eyes and sat up a few seconds later. She turned to Mouse and nodded. "You should not hold back," she signed to him.  
  
Mouse laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, well, you know..." he mumbled.   
  
"It does not matter who your opponent is," she continued. "You must not restrain yourself." Rei rose from the seat and crossed the room, sitting down at her desk. She turned to the window and looked out across the Geofront, patiently waiting for her next match.  
  
"Where are all the other operators?" Shinji asked. Kensuke and Kelly were the only natives in the classroom, running the duels for their freed classmates.  
  
"They're in a mechanical class," Kensuke answered. "Stuff we already know inside and out."  
  
The professor marked down the results from the match and called the next pair. "Asuka, Yuri, you're up."  
  
Asuka quickly strode across the classroom, confidently taking her seat. She was joined a moment later by a tall, sandy haired boy.  
  
"Don't bother tying to follow the code," Asuka said to Shinji. "I'm way to fast for you."  
  
Shinji said nothing as he plugged her in, and did the same for the boy. He returned to the console, frowning at the screens.  
  
Kensuke rapidly loaded the program and began to connect the students. A warning flashed on one screen. "Hmm, Asuka's not jacked in."  
  
"Why not?" she demanded.  
  
"It's like there's connection interference," Kensuke answered, raising his hand. "Hey, professor? I can't get Asuka connected."  
  
The professor looked across the room. "If you cannot get her to the match, she will be forced to forfeit," the professor answered, before returning to his previous conversation.  
  
Asuka glared at Kensuke. "You'd better get me in there, or I'll have to kick your-" She was cut off as the connection was made, sending her into the artificial battlefield.  
  
Kensuke leaned back and sighed. "The professor did that to me on purpose."  
  
"He wouldn't do that, would he?" Shinji asked.  
  
"Yes, he would," Kelly said over her shoulder.  
  
"He likes to keep it interesting for us," Kensuke explained. "Little surprises to keep us on our toes. Of course, pulling that one when it's Asuka is just mean."  
  
Kelly's match finished, and Shinji was next up. He took his seat, finding Touji was his opponent. "You ready for this?" the boy asked him. Shinji shrugged, and relaxed as the link plug was pushed into his head.   
  
Kelly sat at her console and smiled. "Good luck, guys," she said, launching them into the Construct.  
  
  
  
  
Shinji glanced around rapidly as soon as he was in the construct. He was in a small room, filled with several racks of weapons. Shinji looked over the swords and other equipment, trying to decide which ones he had been trained for, and which he felt he could actually use.  
  
Kelly's voice suddenly echoed through the room. "You're supposed to just grab one and go."  
  
Shinji quickly apologized. "Sorry. I can't decide what to use."  
  
"Oh, that's okay," the girl answered. "It's your first time, right? Just do your best. But watch out, Touji's already getting impatient."  
  
"Thanks," Shinji said. He selected a long quarterstaff and slowly stepped through the door.  
  
Touji yelled at the top of his lungs, leaping through the air and swinging his sword down. Shinji was saved by that yell, as it gave the millisecond warning needed to avoid an embarrassingly fast defeat.   
  
Shinji rolled away as Touji's katana sliced deep into the wood floor. From his knees, he shoved the staff forward, hitting Touji's hip and knocking him back.   
  
Shinji jumped up and tried to follow with a rapid horizontal swing. Touji sidestepped, using a wood column to block the hit. He lunged forward, sword first, as Shinji cart-wheeled into the center of the room.   
  
Shinji swung again as Touji charged him. Touji leapt into the air and kicked the staff away, spinning around and bringing the katana at Shinji's neck. Shinji dropped into a crouch and swept a leg out, kicking Touji's legs aside before he could land, dumping him onto his back.  
  
Shinji swung his staff over and down at his prone opponent. Touji managed to raise his sword, bracing the back of the blade against his left palm. The staff hit the sharp edge, which cut through the hard wood. The shortened staff continued on, smashing down on Touji's ribs.  
  
Touji gasped as the air was driven from his lungs. He rolled away and pushed to his feet, watching Shinji do the same. "Not bad," Touji wheezed.   
  
He raised his sword, and Shinji brought the remaining part of his staff up. The two fighters examined each other from across the room. With an unspoken agreement, they both rushed forward. Touji swung his katana downward, into Shinji's staff. The sword bit deep into the wood, but didn't go through.  
  
Shinji quickly twisted himself around, using the locked weapons for leverage. He tossed Touji over his shoulder, and into the air. He spun and punched Touji with all his strength. Still in the air and upside down, Touji sailed across the dojo, slamming into a wood column. He slid down and hit the ground with a soft thump.  
  
Shinji dared not breath, until he heard the other boy groan.   
  
"Wow," Kelly said. "Uh...logging you guys out now."  
  
  
  
  
Shinji sat up after Kelly pulled his plug out. He glanced over at Touji, who was rubbing his neck. "That was pretty impressive, man. I didn't think you had it in you."  
  
"Thanks," Shinji said.   
  
"That was rough, Shinji," Kelly added, sounding slightly awed. "According to the system, Touji would have suffered a broken neck when he hit the column."  
  
Shinji's eyes widened. "I could have killed him?"  
  
Kelly shook her head. "Not in there. The school's construct is set to prevent fatalities."  
  
"Even so, I'm sorry," Shinji said.  
  
Touji shook his head. "You shouldn't be. If I had known how good you were, I would have been a little more careful."   
  
The professor walked over and asked who had one. He added Shinji's name to the winner's list, and turned away. As he did, Touji caught a glimpse of the second round match-ups.  
  
He grinned wickedly. "You're in trouble now, Ikari."


	11. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: See Part II.   
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Chapter 9

  


  


Misato sat at the operator console, simply staring at the screens. The monitors were dark, and fuzzy reflections stared back at her. She tapped the keyboard randomly, fighting nostalgia.   
  
"Misato?"  
  
She looked up to see Morpheus climbing down the ladder from the cockpit. "Oh, hi. I didn't know anyone was aboard," she said.  
  
"I was reviewing some new navigation data," he said. Morpheus walked around the console and looked down at the half filled bag next to the seat. "What's going on?" he asked, concerned.  
  
Misato smiled sadly. "I've been transferred."  
  
"Transferred?" Morpheus echoed. His eyes narrowed. "Is that why Commander Lock summoned you?"   
  
Misato nodded. "He offered me the position of tactical officer in the Project, and I accepted."  
  
"I see," Morpheus replied. He laughed briefly and shook his head. "He took my advice."  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"After the first battle, I suggested that the Commander provide some combat personnel to the Project. I didn't expect him to pick you, though."  
  
"If you would like me to stay, I could turn it down," Misato offered.  
  
"No, don't," Morpheus replied. "They really could use your help."   
  
They were both quiet for a moment. Misato reached out and grabbed a long cord that was hung over one edge of a monitor. Attached to the cord was a small, cross-shaped piece of metal and plastic. Misato stared at it, feeling its weight in her palm, before she dropped the piece into her bag.  
  
"There is something I would ask that you do," Morpheus said.  
  
"What is it?"   
  
"Watch over Rei when I'm gone," Morpheus answered. "I hate leaving her in Zion when I'm away, but I doubt that she will be able to leave again, for as long as the Angels are coming."  
  
Misato smiled. "Of course I will. She'll be fine, she's a smart girl."  
  
"I know," Morpheus said. "And there are plenty of good people to support her."  
  
"I won't let anything happen to her," Misato promised.  
  
"Thank you." The two were silent again, until Misato finally stood and picked up her bag. "Why don't you come over for dinner tonight?" Morpheus said. "We'll have a little party for you."  
  
Misato grinned. "A party? You know I'll be there."  
  
  
  
  
Shinji lay in his link chair, sure that he wasn't going to make it to the fight alive. Kensuke and Touji leaned over him, elbows planted on the armrests, and gave hushed advice, punctuating each point by pounding their fists on his chest. Shinji was certain he felt his lungs on the verge of collapse.  
  
"Her favorite weapon is a pair of sais," Touji warned. "You'll be best off with a sword."  
  
"Don't get stuck in close combat, though," Kensuke added. "She'll lock up your weapon with one of hers."  
  
"Then she'll kick you're head in," Touji added, with another punch. "She's very light on her feet."  
  
Kensuke nodded. "You're best option is to charge her, and back off if you can't land a blow. Use the reach your weapon gives you."  
  
"And for God's sake," Touji whispered, "never, absolutely never-"  
  
"HEY!" Asuka yelled from her seat. "Can we get this over with? I want to win the tournament and go home early."  
  
"Yeah, okay," Kensuke said. He quickly inserted the link plugs for both combatants, and went to the console. Touji walked over to join him.  
  
"Never what?" Shinji asked aloud, just as the connection to the Construct activated.  
  
  
  
  
Asuka looked at the racks in the small room, searching for her favorite weapon.   
  
"KENSUKE!" she screamed at the ceiling. "Load the rest of the weapons!"  
  
"Sorry," the operator's voice echoed down. "It didn't load properly."  
  
"Yeah, right," grumbled Asuka, glaring at the roof for a moment more. When she looked down, the rest of the weapons had been loaded. Grabbing the sais, she ran out into the dojo's main room.   
  
Shinji was already there, loosely holding a katana. As soon as she entered, he brought the weapon up and held it in front of him.   
  
Asuka smiled and twirled her sais around her fingers. "Don't expect to beat me again," she said, stepping back into a defensive stance.  
  
The two stared at each other for a full minute, before Shinji finally nodded. He leapt forward, swinging his sword down at Asuka. She brought both sais up and blocked, kicking as she did. Shinji tumbled backwards, landing on his back. He used his momentum to continue rolling back, coming back to his feet.  
  
Asuka was on him immediately, swinging her sais viciously, the short blades whistling as they sliced through the air. Shinji desperately blocked, wielding his sword with his right hand. He lashed out with his left, using his palm to shove Asuka aside. He slashed at her neck with the katana, and Asuka bent backwards to dodge. She back flipped away as Shinji swung again.  
  
He stepped forward for another swing, and another. Asuka back flipped across the room, staying just beyond the ringing edge of the blade. As she reached the edge of the room, she pushed hard off the ground with her hands, launching herself high into the air. Planting her feet on a wood column, she pushed off and flipped over Shinji.   
  
Shinji swung his sword upwards, but she had already passed over him. Her foot lashed out, connecting with the back of his head. Shinji crashed into the column and crumpled to the ground.  
  
Asuka landed in a roll and quickly came to her feet, wincing. A shallow gash was cut into her right thigh, and blood trickled down to her ankle. She turned to face Shinji as he picked himself up off the floor. Blood flowed from the left side of his mouth. He reached up and wiped it on the sleeve of his uniform.   
  
"Not bad, Third," Asuka smirked. "Not good, but not bad." She leapt forward again, stabbing out with a sai. Shinji backed up quickly, dodging or blocking her thrusts.  
  
When the katana connected with one of the sais, Shinji quickly twisted to his right. The weapon was wrenched from Asuka's left hand and sent across the room.   
  
Asuka reacted immediately, bringing the other sai around and stabbing deep into Shinji's left shoulder. He gasped and staggered back. Dropping to a knee, he reached up and pulled the weapon out, screaming as it came free.  
  
He dropped the sai and was reaching for his sword when everything went black.  
  
  
  
  
Asuka sat up after Kensuke removed the link plug. She ran her fingers through her hair, making sure it covered the plug at the base of her skull. She glanced over to see Kensuke and Touji hovering over Shinji.  
  
"Jeez, he's out cold," Kensuke said.  
  
Asuka shrugged. "It's not like I really kicked him."  
  
"The mind makes it real," Touji said. "You K.O.'d his brain, so he's out."  
  
"Does the professor have smelling salts?" Kensuke asked.  
  
"Don't worry about that. I'm sure Shinji's just being lazy again." Asuka stepped next to them and leaned over Shinji, putting her face inches away from his. "Shinji?" she asked quietly.   
  
"WAKE UP!" she screamed.  
  
Rocketed to consciousness, Shinji bolted upright, only to smack his forehead into Asuka's. He fell back on the seat as Asuka stumbled backwards, landing against Touji.   
  
"Eww! Get your hands off me!" she screamed when he instinctively caught her.  
  
"Sorry!" Touji said, roughly pushing her back to her feet. "That was reflex. Normally, I would have let you go."  
  
"What?" Asuka yelled. "You'd let a lady just fall and hurt herself? What kind of guy are you?"  
  
"You're not a lady," Touji fired back.  
  
"Why does my head hurt?" Shinji asked Kensuke. "I thought it wasn't real."  
  
Kensuke stared at him blankly for a moment. "Your mind makes it real," he finally offered.  
  
"Does the mind get aspirin in this place?"  
  
  
  
  
Shinji and Asuka arrived home, pressing icepacks to their foreheads. The bruises on their heads matched the bruises their egos had taken. Shinji had the extra burden of blame, placed on him by Asuka, over her loss in the round after their fight. He still didn't remember head butting her, but Kensuke and Touji had backed up her story. Or at least been too afraid of Asuka's wrath to contradict it.  
  
"What did you mean by 'again'?" Shinji asked as they climbed the stairs to the apartment.  
  
Asuka stopped and turned toward him, folding her arms.  
  
"You said I wouldn't beat you again," Shinji continued. "I've never beaten you before."  
  
Asuka shook her head and sighed. "You really don't get it, do you?"  
  
"Get what?"  
  
"Forget it," she said, rolling her eyes. "Let's go see what biohazard Misato is cooking for dinner tonight."  
  
Shinji immediately felt queasy. "You still have some of that goop hidden away."  
  
"I hope so."  
  
The teens paused outside the apartment door. Taking deep breaths, they opened the door, waiting for the inevitable cloud of black smoke to pour out. When none came, they stepped in, sniffing the air suspiciously.  
  
"Is that...flowers?" Shinji asked.  
  
Asuka only nodded, walking into the kitchen. A slender metal vase sat on the table, holding a few purple flowers.  
  
"Lilacs," Asuka said, bending over and smelling them. "Misato's favorites."  
  
"There are flowers in Zion?" Shinji asked.  
  
"Some," Misato said, emerging from her bedroom. "The species we've managed to save from extinction when the surface died. There are a few greenhouses at the western edge of the Geofront that grow them." She walked over and gently brushed her fingers against a flower. "They're difficult to get."  
  
"So how did you get these?" Asuka asked.   
  
"They were a gift."  
  
"What, you have another admirer?"  
  
Misato giggled and shook her head. "This is kind of a parting gift," she said, plucking a flower from the vase. She turned and walked back to her bedroom. "We're having diner with Morpheus tonight, she called back. "Let's go over in about half an hour, okay?"  
  
After she disappeared into her room, Shinji turned to Asuka. "A parting gift?"  
  
Asuka shrugged. "I don't think I like the sound of that."  
  
  
  
  
It was nearly an hour before they left for Morpheus's apartment. As he lived below them, on the building's third floor, they at least got there quickly.   
  
They met Switch on the stairs, carrying a bundle under her arm. She greeted them. "Well, I guess I'm not late after all," she said.  
  
"You're joining us for dinner too?" Misato asked.  
  
"Of course," Switch replied. "It wouldn't be proper to have a going away party without everyone being there."  
  
"Who's going away?" Asuka asked.  
  
Switch glanced at Misato. "You didn't tell them?"  
  
Misato shook her head. "I figured we'd surprise them."  
  
"Are you going to another ship, Misato?" Shinji asked.  
  
Misato smiled brightly. "Not at all."  
  
"What's going on, then?" Asuka asked as they reached the correct door.   
  
The door opened immediately after Misato knocked. Rei stood inside, regarding them calmly. "We have been expecting you," she signed.   
  
The girl stepped aside, letting the others enter. The apartment's living room was occupied by a large table, where Neo, Trinity, and Apoc sat. Another round of greetings was said as Rei disappeared into the kitchen. Morpheus emerged a moment later, carrying a large bowl.  
  
"Ah, you're finally here," he said, setting the bowl on the table. "Everything will be ready in a minute."  
  
Shinji almost gasped as he saw the salad, full of green lettuce and fresh vegetables. "There's fresh food in Zion?"  
  
Everyone around the table laughed. "Misato's cooking is not the standard here," Apoc said, getting a glare from the operator.  
  
"There is a small amount of produce grown in green houses," Trinity explained. "It's usually very hard to obtain. How did you manage this?" she asked Morpheus as he returned to the room with another bowl, this time full of pasta.  
  
Morpheus smiled. "I simply called in a few favors."  
  
Neo cleared his throat and briefly glared at Morpheus, drawing a laugh from the captain. "I also abused Neo's status and popularity. There are plenty of people willing to help when they hear that the One is involved."  
  
"Did you get the flowers we sent?" asked Neo.  
  
Misato smiled. "Yes, they're beautiful. Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome," said Trinity.  
  
Rei walked into the room and set another bowl on the table. "Dinner is served," she signed.  
  
Misato eyes grew wide as she looked at the thick red sauce in the bowl. "Is that...beef?"  
  
Morpheus only smiled in response.  
  
"Really, you've done to much," Misato said. "This is incredible."  
  
"We had to send you off properly," Morpheus relied, sitting down at the head of the table.  
  
"Send you off?" Asuka asked.  
  
"You haven't told them?" Neo asked.  
  
"Not yet. Rei doesn't know, does she?" Misato asked, turning to Morpheus.   
  
He nodded. "She has heard already."  
  
Misato faked a pout. "I wanted to surprise all of them."  
  
"Misato," Asuka began, glaring at her roommate. "What is going on?" she demanded.  
  
"I've been transferred to Project E," Misato answered.  
  
Asuka stared at her blankly. "Transferred?" she finally asked. "What for?"  
  
"I'll be the tactical coordinator, or something like that," Misato explained. "Basically, I'm your commanding officer now. I think."  
  
"Oh," Asuka replied. She turned and stared down at her plate, processing what she was told. "Well."  
  
"Well, lets eat," Misato said cheerfully. The food was soon passed around, and the Neb crew enjoyed a meal that was far superior to the ones they normally shared.  
  
As the conversations grew Shinji turned to Apoc, who was seated next to him, with a burning question. "Where did the meat come from?" he whispered.  
  
Apoc glanced over at him. "You sure you want to know?" he quietly asked back. When Shinji nodded, he explained. "It is synthetically grown in a nutrient bath down in a research lab."  
  
Shinji glanced down at his plate, suddenly less hungry.  
  
Apoc continued his quiet explanation. "Decades ago, a team roaming the surface found a herd of wild cattle. They managed to bring a few to Zion, which were cloned and used for food. Now they bypass the whole living, breathing animal stage, and just grow the meat. Not as good as the real thing, but it beats the bowl of snot, right?"  
  
Shinji nodded, idly poking his pasta with a fork. "Hey, you gonna finish that?" Apoc asked. Shinji slid the half full plate over to him.  
  
After dinner, Neo produced another rarity in Zion: a bottle of wine. He waved off Misato's objection that it should be saved. "This was given to me as a gift, to be used for a good occasion. I think that this counts." The fact the Neo had a half-dozen more bottles was not mentioned.  
  
After a cup was poured for everyone, even the three teenagers, Trinity raised her cup. "To the best operator in Zion." Everyone raised their cups to the toast, and drank.   
  
"Wow," said Misato, finishing the drink in one long gulp. "That was really good." She looked around the table, at each member of the Neb's crew, with a smile that was equal parts grateful and sad. "Thank you. I really don't know what to say; I'm going to miss all of you."  
  
"Hey, it's not like you'll never see us," Apoc said. "We'll still be in Zion a couple days a year, right?" Morpheus and the others laughed.  
  
"Just make sure it's not during an Angel attack," Misato said.  
  
"Yes ma'am," Apoc replied, throwing a half-hearted salute. Misato blinked, surprised at the action, eliciting a chuckle from Switch.   
  
"I guess this is a good time," the blond said. She reached behind her chair and picked up the bundle she had carried in, handing it to Misato. The soft object was wrapped with a small blanket, whose corners were tied together.   
  
Misato loosened the knots, revealing a pair of dark red sweaters. She glanced up at Switch. "How did you...?"  
  
Morpheus smirked. "It always helps, Captain Katsuragi, to have an inside source," he said, glancing to the seat next to his.  
  
"Rei?" Misato asked. "You're a spy now?"  
  
The girl appeared puzzled by the charge. "I overheard the commander telling some of his staff," she signed innocently.  
  
"Uh-huh," Misato replied with mock suspicion.  
  
"You did not want it known?" Rei asked.  
  
"I wasn't going to make a big deal out of it," Misato answered. "But now that you know, well," she began to grin wickedly. "I guess I'll have to use my rank to whip everything into shape over there."  
  
This was met with another round of chuckles, and a quiet "Oh god" from Asuka.  
  
  
  
  
A short time later, Misato had produced the metal jug of engine degreaser. Her stated reason was to return the canister to the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar, as it belonged to the ship. However, she and the ship's crew, primarily Apoc and Neo, soon appeared determined to leave the Neb without one of its essential maintenance products.  
  
The three teenagers, not allowed to participate in the waste of fleet resources, soon left the apartment. They made their way to the roof, where they could look out at the city. Asuka perched herself on the edge of the roof, leaning out precariously over a four story drop. Shinji dangled his feet over the edge, while Rei stayed several feet back.  
  
"I really can't believe they transferred her to the Project," Asuka began. "She's so irresponsible."   
  
"Misato?" Shinji asked, earning a glare from Asuka.   
  
"Of course," she replied.  
  
"Well, she helped me get through the battles," Shinji said. "I think this will be good."  
  
When Asuka didn't respond, Shinji laid back, staring at the distant roof of the Geofront. Tiny points of light were scattered across the roof of the dome, and the glowing pads of a hovercraft passed far overhead.  
  
"It almost looks like stars up there," Shinji said.  
  
"Those are navigational lights," Asuka said. "The clusters of lights are the tunnels that go out from Zion. The others are to let ships know where low-hanging stalactites are."  
  
"They are also there to reassure those that were freed," Rei added. "Mankind fears the darkness, and seeks to overcome it."  
  
Asuka leaned back on her elbows, looking over to the blue haired girl. "So you're a philosopher when you have alcohol?"   
  
Rei cocked her head to one side. "We did not have enough wine to get drunk."  
  
Asuka laughed. "I know that. I bet you would be, though."  
  
A sudden bout of laughter caused the children to look down. Neo, Trinity, Apoc, and Switch were leaving together, with Trinity attempting to herd her wobbly companions in the proper direction.  
  
"I guess the party's over," Asuka said, closing her eyes. She suddenly sat back up, staring off in the distance. A faint rumbling noise was heard, carrying from the center of the city. "I didn't know there was a gathering tonight. Come on, let's go."  
  
Asuka leapt to her feat and turned to the ladder, only to see Misato's head pop up. "Hey, guys," she said, grinning sleepily at them.  
  
The three teens stared at her for a moment. Misato stared back, still smiling.  
  
"Did you want something?" Asuka finally asked.  
  
"What? Oh right." Misato shook her head, trying to knock her thoughts back into place. "There's a sync test at six-thirty tomorrow morning."  
  
"What?" Asuka shouted. "Why so early?"  
  
Misato shrugged. "I dunno. Seemed like a good idea at the time, so go to bed. That's an order." She began to climb down the ladder, but slipped, falling pas the last two rungs and landing on her rear. "Oops! Watch out for that. This ladder's trezurrus...techerrus...treshurzerusser...broken!"  
  
"Aye-aye, captain," Asuka called sarcastically. "I can't believe this," she grumbled.  
  
Rei got up and walked to the ladder. With a quick goodnight, she left the roof. Asuka and Shinji quickly followed.  



	12. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: See Part II.   
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Chapter 10

  
  


  
The Casper's command deck was bathed in the light of the holoprojector, casting an eerie glow over the crew. Misato frowned as the techs fired off status reports.  
  
"Synapse feedback in 00," Shigeru called. "Sync could destabilize at any moment."  
  
"01's mobility is reduced by 30%," Makoto added. "02's left arm is not functional."  
  
"The Angel has regenerated!" Maya said.   
  
Misato crossed her arms, quickly analyzing the battlefield. The three Evangelions had roughly surrounded the green Angel. The monstrosity had regenerated the arm Asuka had cut off, and was now facing her Eva, correctly seeing it as the most dangerous threat. While one arm dangled limply, the other still held a glowing progressive knife.  
  
"Misato..." Ritsuko whispered urgently.  
  
"Shinji!" Misato called. "On my order, I want you to charge the Angel. Just keep it occupied for a moment. Rei, once the Angel has him, move in and grab it, and neutralize its AT Field. Asuka, you'll have to destroy its core."  
  
"Copy," the three pilots chorused.  
  
Unit 01 shifted its feet as Shinji prepared to charge, causing the Angel to turn in its direction.   
  
"NOW!"  
  
The purple Eva lumbered ahead, hindered by damage to its legs. The Angel reached out and grabbed the Eva's right shoulder and left arm, pulling them in opposite directions.  
  
"Rei, go," Misato ordered, ignoring Shinji's screams. Unit 00 lunged forward, slamming into the Angel's back and wrapping its orange arms around the creature. Rei pivoted her Eva, tearing the Angel away from 01 and turning it to face 02.  
  
Asuka was already charging into the fray, seeing her chance before Misato's order came. She drove the knife into the Angel's glowing red core. Sparks flew as the knife sank deeper into the sphere. The Angel thrashed violently against the two Evas until the core went dark. The creature slumped to the ground.  
  
"Status?" Ritsuko asked.  
  
"The Angel is dead," Makoto said. "Its core has been destroyed. Unit 01 is disabled."  
  
"00 has overloaded and gone into emergency shutdown," Shigeru said. "No feedback to the pilot reported."  
  
"Rei and Asuka are okay," Maya added. "No information on Shinji's status."  
  
"The computer reports a thirty-two percent chance that he did not survive the final attack," Commander Fuyutsuki reported from the observation room over the command deck. "70% chance that he suffered physical injuries or nervous system damage."  
  
Misato glared at the hologram. "That's too high."  
  
"This is a dangerous task, Misato," Ritsuko said. "We have to be prepared for the worst."  
  
Misato shook her head. "I won't let that happen."  
  
  
  
  
The command crew filed off the Casper and crossed the dock. By the time they reached the Project facilities, the pilots had showered and changed clothes.   
  
They were waiting in the briefing room as the others arrived. "How did we do?" Asuka asked cheerfully after Misato entered.  
  
"Better than you have done," she replied. Misato walked to the center of the room, while the others took their seats at the surrounding table. "But it still could have been better. Shinji may not have survived this one."  
  
Both teens looked slightly shocked. In all the simulations they had run over the past three weeks, none of them had ever "died", at least not during a victory.   
  
"You're teamwork still needs to improve," Misato continued. "The initial attack was uncoordinated. Asuka, you went in too fast, and left Shinji exposed to the counterattack."  
  
"That Angel didn't rely on its energy blast so much when Shinji really fought it," the girl complained.  
  
"But a future Angel might," Misato replied. "We don't know what to expect from these things."  
  
"The Angels Shinji defeated were significantly different from each other," Ritsuko added, walking to the front of the room. "And neither seems to resemble the one the machines destroyed fifteen years ago.  
  
"There is one similarity we've found between the two that we have destroyed," she continued. "The Angels give off a bio-electromagnetic signature that is different from terrestrial organisms. We've dubbed this a blue pattern."  
  
"We've already provided this information to the fleet," Misato added. "And it's even been sent to the machines. If an Angel is anywhere on the Earth, we'll know about it quickly."  
  
  
  
  
"I hate running this shallow," Melkor said, for the eighth time.  
  
"So do I, sir," Andre replied. "There's no squiddies on the scopes though."  
  
"We'll be okay," Melkor said to himself. "Where's the signal?"   
  
"Practically on top of us, captain," Kerrigan replied. She brought the map up on the hologram, showing the Xerxes' location, and the object they were tracking.   
  
"There's a shaft about two miles ahead," Andre said. "We could go up and take a look."  
  
"We can contact Zion while we're up there, if this really is an Angel," Kerrigan added.  
  
"The Project," Melkor grumbled. "Maybe they'll thank us for reporting this one in."  
  
"If it's an Angel," Kerrigan said.  
  
"If it's an Angel." Melkor slapped the top of Andre's seat. "Take us up," he ordered the operator. With Kerrigan's guidance, Andre turned the hovercraft toward the great vertical shaft.  
  
Melkor climbed down to the main deck, trusting his pilots to get the ship up to the surface. One of his crew was already seated at the operator's console. "Get ready to broadcast to Zion," he ordered.  
  
The ship reached the surface a few minutes later. "We're in range of the surface relays, sir," the crewman said.  
  
"Captain, you have to see this," Andre said, by way of the speakers.  
  
Melkor typed a command onto the keyboard, bringing external views up on the secondary screens. "How far away is that?"  
  
"Several miles," Andre answered.  
  
"Pattern blue is confirmed," Kerrigan said.  
  
"That's a living thing?" Melkor wondered. The Angel was a massive octahedron, perfectly symmetrical and smooth. It's upper third was obscured in the clouds. Lightning flashed constantly from the bottom point down to the ground.  
  
"Start broadcasting," the captain ordered.  
  
  
  
  
The post-training session was nearing its end when Dozer walked in. He quickly activated the room's main projector, assuring Commander Fuyutsuki that he would want to see it.  
  
The projector flickered for a moment and came to life, catching the speaker in mid sentence. "...detected it forty minutes ago. Blue pattern is confirmed."  
  
"It's the Xerxes," Dozer explained. "They were running in a mid level tunnel when they detected that thing."  
  
"It's more than a quarter-mile wide," Melkor continued. "And almost as tall, according to our sensors. It's heading directly for the Geofront."  
  
There was a collective gasp in the briefing room. Commander Fuyutsuki turned to Dozer. "Does Lock know about his?"  
  
Dozer nodded. "He had the transmission forwarded to us."  
  
"Prep the transports," Fuyutsuki ordered.  
  
Dozer nodded again and left the room.  
  
The holographic projection of the Angel was beginning to grow larger. "We're closing in to get a better scan," Melkor said. "The density of the Angel is very low, as if it were hollow...hold on. We're detecting some kind of energy increase in-"  
  
There was a brilliant flash, and the image disappeared.   
  
"What happened?" Misato asked.  
  
"The Xerxes has been lost," Ritsuko said.  
  
"How can you know that?" Misato demanded.  
  
Ritsuko tapped several commands on a panel set in the conference table. The image replayed itself, with several graphs floating to next to the recording.  
  
"Captain Melkor sent everything his sensors were recording," the blond said. "This EM spike is similar to one we've seen before."  
  
"The first battle?" Misato asked.  
  
"Correct, though this is far more powerful."  
  
Fuyutsuki stood and turned to the door. "We'll leave as soon as the Evangelions are loaded into their transports." He glanced at the teenage pilots, his expression unreadable. "It will take a few hours to load the ships. You should rest while you can."  
  
  
  
  
Two hours later, they were back in the briefing room. None of the Children had left the Project Center, choosing instead to find a quiet place to rest, though sleep wouldn't come to any of them.  
  
Again, several Council members and fleet officers had joined the Project's staff for the briefing.  
  
Commander Fuyutsuki stood in the center, before an image of the Angel. "The target has been designated the Fifth Angel. It is moving toward a position over Zion, and has begun slowing down. It appears that it will stop over the exact center of the Geofront.  
  
"Commander Lock," Fuyutsuki continued, nodding toward the other man, "has already called in ships that were in the vicinity of the Geofront. The remainder of the fleet here in Zion will launch with us.  
  
"Their scans indicate that the Angel has a very low mass; its interior is primarily empty. At its center is a core, which provides power and generates an AT Field, which holds it in the air. We believe that compromising the Field will cause it to fall to the ground, collapsing its structure."  
  
"What about its energy weapon?" Asuka asked.  
  
"Your AT Fields should be able to protect you," Ritsuko answered. "And it appears to take the Angel fifteen to twenty seconds to charge a shot."  
  
"Our plan is two fold," Misato said. "Units 00 and 01 will charge the Angel. Just one Eva should be able to weaken its AT Field. Once the Field is disrupted, the Balthasar will use the MP Cannon to destroy the Angel's core. Unit 02 will remain with the Balthasar, to protect it with its AT Field."  
  
"Guard duty?" Asuka grumbled.  
  
"Will it not fire as soon as we arrive?" Rei asked.  
  
Commander Lock answered this time. "The Angel has ignored our ships as long as they maintain their distance from it. It only attacks when they close within two miles. We know now that the Xerxes was lost. Another ship, the Longinus, has been damaged. One other ship was able to evade the Angel's attack. When it retreated beyond two miles, the Angel ignored it again."  
  
A map of the surface above the Geofront was projected into the room. Misato stepped forward again, narrating as colored dots representing ships moved through the projection. "When we reach the surface, our ships will loop around the Angel and take up position at this hill. The Evas will be dropped and move into position. On my signal, we will proceed with the attack."  
  
Misato looked around the room, quickly making eye contact with the pilots and ship crewmembers, gauging attitudes. "We launch in twenty minutes."  
  
  
  
  
Asuka leaned against the wall outside the briefing room, arms folded. A frown crossed her face as she watched fleet and Project officers leaving the room.   
  
Finally, Misato emerged, and Asuka stepped into her path. "Why am I stuck with the ships?" she demanded.  
  
Misato glanced at her, one eyebrow raised, and stepped around Asuka. She motioned for the girl to follow. "You mean, why aren't you going straight at the Angel?"  
  
Asuka nodded sharply.  
  
"You've got the highest sync level," Misato explained, "and have displayed the strongest AT Field. If the Angel fires on the Balthasar, you have to keep it safe. Do you understand?"  
  
Still frowning, Asuka nodded.  
  
"Good," Misato continued. "Remember this: when I give you an order, it's because I believe you can fulfill it." She turned to the girl and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Asuka, I don't want to see you hurt."  
  
Asuka sighed. "I don't need people protecting me. That's my job."  
  
Misato grinned at the girl's confidence. They walked down the corridor together. As they turned the corner, they saw the elevator doors ahead of them start to close. "Hold the lift!" Misato called.  
  
The two ran forward as the door opened again, quickly squeezing into the elevator. They glanced around the crowded elevator. Several technicians and operators were riding the lift.   
  
Asuka glanced around, noticing a woman leaning against the wall, eyes closed and seemingly asleep on her feet. "Niobe?"  
  
Niobe's eyes shot open, darting around to find the speaker. "Oh, hey Asuka, hey Misato."  
  
"What are you doing here?" Misato asked.  
  
Niobe stood up straight and rubbed her eyes. "We returned from patrol during the night. I had barely made it to my apartment when Commander Lock called for all ships to prepare for operations."  
  
"You're coming with us?" Asuka asked.  
  
Niobe nodded. "The Logos will be going out with the transports. Though I might let Sparks fly her. He slept for the entire flight last night."  
  
Misato and Asuka laughed at that idea. Nobody, ever, touched the controls of Niobe's ship.  
  
  
  
  
Shinji watched as the Melchior rose over the Eva bay, pulling unit 01 high into the air. The ship turned and slowly flew to its dock as the Eva was retracted and the huge bay doors closed.  
  
As the noise from its hover pads diminished, Shinji noticed Rei standing next to him, staring at the transports. She stood with her left arm at her side and the right across her body, hand clasping her left elbow. Her eyes were distant, and a slight frown crossed her lips and. The light from the passing transport's pads gave her pale skin an ethereal glow.  
  
She glanced at Shinji, making him to he had been staring. "Sorry," he mumbled, turned away and slightly blushing. "Are, uh, are you ready for this, Rei?"  
  
He looked back to see her nod. "Yes," she signed. "I have been training for this since I was freed."  
  
Shinji looked at the Melchior, which was now landing next to the other transports. "I hope we can come through this unhurt," he muttered.  
  
"You scared, Third?" another voice said. Shinji turned to see Asuka striding confidently forward.  
  
"You're not?" Shinji asked.  
  
"Of course not," Asuka retorted, walking past him. She spun around to face him, long red hair flowing behind her as she turned. "I was born for this!" she declared. She grinned brightly and spun on her heel, marching toward the dock with long, confident strides. Rei followed, leaving Shinji to watch them walk away.  
  
"Hey, what are you staring at?" a voice asked.  
  
Shinji started and turned to see Tank stepping next to him. "Nothing?"  
  
Tank slapped a hand on Shinji's shoulder. "Suuuure. Let's get going. I'm in charge of the Melchior, and I'd hate to leave my Eva pilot behind."  
  
Shinji nodded, and followed Tank to the dock.  
  
  
  
  
"Status?" Misato asked.  
  
"The transports are ready to go," Makoto said.  
  
"Pilots are in their entry plugs," Shigeru reported. "Ready to initialize the connections."  
  
"Fleet control indicates that all present ships are launched," Maya added.  
  
Misato nodded to the three technicians and turned around to face the commander, who was in the observation room overlooking the command deck. "We are ready to launch, sir."  
  
Fuyutsuki nodded. "Lift off. Contact fleet control and have them open the doors."  
  
Misato turned back and relayed the orders. Seconds later, the transport rose into the air and turned for the wall of the Geofront.   
  
"Twelve minutes until we reach the surface," Makoto said.  
  
Misato nodded, and visibly relaxed. "So it begins," she muttered to herself. She stepped forward and tapped Maya on the shoulder. "Can you get me a connection to the pilots?"  
  
Maya nodded, and quickly brought images of the three Children up on a secondary screen. "How are you kids doing?" she asked.  
  
Asuka grinned. "Ready to kill an Angel, captain!"  
  
"Okay," Shinji said.  
  
Unsynched, Rei did not have an artificial voice available to answer with. But the calm confidence that radiated from her eyes was all Misato needed to see.  
  
"Any questions before we start this?" Misato asked.   
  
There was a moment of silence, before Shinji cleared his throat. "Um, I was wondering...why is this called the Fifth Angel?"  
  
Misato glanced over her shoulder at Ritsuko, who gave her a brief nod. "The first Angel was the one the machines destroyed in Siberia," Misato said. "Since then, we've learned that there was another Angel on the Earth some time in the past. That's what we classified the Second."  
  
"I see," Shinji said.  
  
"We'll be on the surface soon," Misato said. "We're going to begin synchronization."  
  
LCL was immediately pumped into the entry plugs. As the liquid filled the pilots' lungs, they felt the first connections to the greater system of the Evangelion.  
  
  
  
  
The transports reached the surface and circled around the Angel, staying well beyond its attack range. The four fleet ships that had flown from Zion with the transports flew their own routes, joining the half-dozen ships already on station around the Angel.  
  
The Angel floated over the gray plain, no longer moving. Lightning discharged from its bottom as electrical charge from the clouds moved through it.  
  
The three Evas were dropped near the peak of the hill. The Casper and Melchior backed away behind the hill, while the Balthasar remained over it.  
  
Dozer sat in the cockpit, watching the Evas move into position. Asuka's Unit 02 stood at the hill's peak, before the transport, while Units 00 and 01 moved to the foot of the hill. Dozer pressed the button his radio. "Captain, we are in position and ready to charge the positron cannon."  
  
"Roger, Balthasar," Misato replied. "All units, stand by." Misato folded her arms and took a moment to examine the holographic display of the battlefield. Certain that everything was in place, she turned to the displays of the pilots.   
  
"Rei, Shinji, move in!"  
  
Units 00 and 01 launched forward, quickly closing the gap to the Angel.  
  
"There's an energy buildup in the Angel," Makoto said.  
  
"Raise your AT Fields!" Misato ordered.   
  
The pilots complied, desperately raising their defense. The Angel fired, its powerful beam striking the glowing orange field projected by Unit 01. Shinji grit his and concentrated, trying to maintain his defense.   
  
"I can't hold this," Shinji gasped.  
  
"Balthasar, fire!" Misato shouted into the radio.  
  
Everything happened at once.   
  
As the positron cannon charged for firing, a second energy buildup began in the Angel.   
  
The Angel broke through Unit 01's AT Field. The energy beam scorched across the Eva's torso, cutting through the ventral armor.  
  
"Rei, help him," Misato ordered. "Dozer, fire now!"  
  
"Roger," both replied.  
  
The Angel's attack on the Eva ceased. For one brief second, everything was still.   
  
And then it fired.  
  
The three pilots had a moment of heightened awareness, as time slowed or their senses accelerated. The Fifth Angel and the Balthasar fired at the same instant. The beams of charged particles lanced out, coming within a dozen feet of each other. At that close point, some form of attraction between the beams bent them, causing them to curve around each other. The Angel's beam struck the foot of the hill that the Balthasar hovered over, while the ship's attack disappeared into the clouds.  
  
"What happened?" Misato demanded.   
  
"It missed?" Ritsuko asked incredulously.  
  
"The Angel is about to fire again!" Makoto shouted.  
  
"Dozer, get out of there!" Misato yelled. "Asuka, protect the ship."  
  
Asuka concentrated, spreading Unit 02's AT Field as far as she could. The Angel's beam struck the field, breaking through in seconds, but not before the Balthasar had moved aside. The beam disappeared into the distant clouds.  
  
As Evangelions 00 and 01 fled beyond the Angel's attention range, it began to move, slowly repositioning itself over Zion's center far below. The lightning continued to flash from the underside of the Angel to the ground.  
  
  
  
  
"What happened out there?" Misato demanded. The Balthasar and all three Evas had moved behind the hill, joining the other two transports. The Evas had powered down, conserving their energy while the command crew decided on a course of action.  
  
Ritsuko Akagi was leaning over one of the technician's shoulders, reviewing data from the Angel's attack. "The Angel's beam is a lot more powerful than we thought," she said.  
  
"Really?" Misato snapped.  
  
"How bad is 01's damage?" Fuyutsuki asked.  
  
"The frontal armor has been compromised," Shigeru replied. "Internals are okay, and the synchronization is stable."  
  
"And the pilot?"   
  
"He said he's fine," Maya answered.  
  
"Can we send him back in?" Fuyutsuki mumbled aloud.  
  
"We may have to," Ritsuko said. She turned to the commander, speaking in low tones. "We might have to send all three Evangelions in. If they all rush it, at least one should get through."  
  
"We have some of the fleet here, too," Fuyutsuki added. "Some of the ships may be able to draw the Angel's fire and evade it."  
  
"Should we contact Commander Lock?" Ritsuko asked, even as she turned to a panel and activated the radio.  
  
"I don't believe this," Misato growled.  
  
"You wish to add something, captain?" Fuyutsuki asked.  
  
"You can't sacrifice the pilots or the ships!" she objected.  
  
Ritsuko turned and brought up some information on a screen. "If we can get one unit close enough to the Angel, it can destabilize its AT Field. Bring down the field, and this Angel will collapse."  
  
Misato spared a glance at the screen before fixing her glare on the scientists. "It will also die if we hit its core, right?"  
  
"We tried your plan, Katsuragi," Fuyutsuki said. "We can't risk losing the Balthasar."  
  
"But you can risk the Evas and the fleet?" she shot back. "No plan ever survives contact with the enemy, commander."  
  
"She is correct." All three turned to see Lock's image on one of the screens.   
  
"Commander, we may need your help in destroying the Angel," Ritsuko said.  
  
"I won't needlessly endanger my ships," Lock replied.  
  
"Um, sirs," Makoto interrupted. "There's another energy buildup in the Angel."  
  
"What is it firing on?" Fuyutsuki demanded.  
  
"I don't know, nothing has moved into its range," Makoto answered.  
  
They watched the video display as the Angel began to glow along its horizontal plane. The lighting that flashed from its bottom to the ground became more intense, flashing brighter and faster. It stopped for a heartbeat, and exploded with a blinding flash. The video feeds were overwhelmed with the light, and they felt the distant, deafening thunder as it rumble through the ship.  
  
There was a collective gasp as the video image was restored. A bright beam shot down into the ground from the Angel's bottom point.   
  
Ritsuko was the first to speak. "It's drilling straight down to Zion."   
  
"How fast?" Lock demanded.  
  
"It could reach the Geofront in thirty minutes," Makoto answered.  
  
Misato stepped forward and slapped the radio controls. "Dozer, get into a firing position.  
  
"Copy," the technician said.  
  
"Asuka, Rei, Shinji, you have to defend the transport. Get between it and the Angel."  
  
"Captain?" Misato turned to the radio screen. "Use the fleet as you see fit," Lock said.  
  
"Thank you, sir," she replied.  
  
The three Evas quickly reached the crest of the hill, while the transport rose vertically behind them. "In position," Dozer reported. "Ready to begin firing sequence on your order."  
  
"Stand by, Balthasar." Misato opened a second transmission, to the ships that surrounded the Angel. "I need a ship to close on the Angel, draw its attention."  
  
There was a moment of silence, before one of the captains spoke up. "You mean draw its fire," he said.  
  
"Yes," Misato answered. "We have to give the Balthasar a chance to fire its cannon. One shot is all we need to destroy the Angel."  
  
"This is the Logos. We'll do it."  
  
"Thank you, Niobe," Misato said. "Get into position and let us know when you're ready." She stepped back from the radio and took a deep breath, willing her nerves to calm.  
  
  
  
  
"Are you sure about this?" Ghost asked as the Logos came to a stop.  
  
"We're the only ones who can pull it off," Niobe answered. "We have to succeeded."   
  
"And what would Commander Lock say if we are killed?"  
  
A wry smile formed on Niobe's face. "I don't know, and I won't have to hear it." She tapped a few controls, preparing her ship to move. "Should we tell Sparks what we're about to do?"  
  
"He would only panic," Ghost answered.  
  
"Right. Better to tell him later." Niobe keyed her radio. "Project command, this is the Logos, we are ready to go."  
  
"Roger, stand by," Misato replied. "Take a course to the southwest of the Angel, and draw its fire that way."  
  
"Understood," Niobe said.  
  
  
  
  
The Angel's beam continued to burn a hole into the earth, drilling inexorably down to Zion. All the pieces were in place, ready to make a final assault on the Angel. The only thing that remained was an order to begin.  
  
That came with a single word from Misato. "Go," she ordered the Logos. The ship sprang forward, accelerating rapidly toward the Angel. It dropped altitude, skimming over the surface.  
  
"Energy build-up detected!" Makoto reported.  
  
"Dozer, get ready," Misato said. "Evas stand by."  
  
  
  
  
"Give me everything she's got," Niobe said.  
  
Ghost tapped a display next to him, routing all available power to the hover pads. "Done," he said.  
  
Niobe winced as the Angel fired, momentarily blinded by the intense beam. But she was ahead of it; the Angel had missed by a dozen yards. She banked the Logos toward the Angel, pushing as close to the ground as she could to stay ahead of the beam.  
  
  
  
  
The Angel was still drilling into the ground as it fired a second beam at the hovercraft. As soon as it had fired, the Balthasar began charging its cannon.   
  
The Eva pilots experienced another moment of time slowing down, as the Angel began to react. The pilots had access to all visual and technical the information that the command staff had, available to them with a thought.   
  
Both of the Angel's energy beams stopped. Inside the being, the energy was quickly refocused and aimed. Before Makoto could report the power shift, the Angel was ready to fire.   
  
Rei realized immediately that the Angel was about to throw everything it had at the Balthasar, the one serious threat to it on the battlefield. She did the only thing possible: she leapt forward, placing her Eva between the Angel and the Balthasar.  
  
The Angel's energy beam struck the Eva in the chest, slicing through its armor as the Eva moved beneath the beam. Rei's mind screamed in pain as her Eva crashed to the ground.   
  
She saw the Angel, pierced by a brilliant blue beam of light, begin to fall from the air. Darkness engulfed her before it reached the ground.  
  
  
  
  
Rei woke slowly, as her senses gradually began to work. She sat up, finding herself in the Project Center's small hospital.   
  
"You're awake?" Rei turned to see Morpheus sitting in a chair next to the bed. He immediately rose and sat down next to her, wrapping his arms around the girl.   
  
"Father?" she asked.  
  
Morpheus had not seen what she signed to him, but he knew what she would ask. "We came when Commander Lock called for the fleet," he explained. "I saw what you did."  
  
Morpheus was silent for a moment, simply holding his daughter. "That was very brave," he finally said, voice tinged with emotion.  
  
Rei pushed away from Morpheus so he would be able to see her response. "I'm sorry," she signed. "I didn't mean to scare you."  
  
Morpheus smiled sadly. "Don't be. You did what you believed was right." His expression said he knew, and feared, that she would do the same thing again. Rei nodded, the only answer she needed. She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Morpheus and burying her face in his chest.   
  
Morpheus smiled as she relaxed, and soon fell asleep. He remembered a terrified, newly freed four-year-old hiding in his arms from a strange, cold world. Ten years later, she still found safety and comfort there.  
  
He gently rose, laying Rei down in the bed. Morpheus covered her with the blanket, then leaned forward, lightly kissing her on the forehead. "Sweet dreams."  


  
  


* * *

Author's notes: 

The third battle, and all three Evas got in this time. Please, review and tell me what you thought of the chapter, especially of the fight: cool/lame/confusing or whatever.  
  
As always, this was done without a prereader. Written several weeks ago, and reviewed and tweaked several times since.  
  
The pace of the action is going to pick up, for the next few chapters at least. Chapter 11 will be set in the Matrix. I can't wait to post it!


	13. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: See Part II.   
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Chapter 11

  
  


The dark tunnels slowly came to life, illuminated with soft blue light as a hovercraft found its way through the deep black world. The harsh buzz from its pads echoed up and down the tunnel, warning of the ship's approach, and remembering it for long minutes after it had passed.  
  
In the cockpit of the Nebuchadnezzar, Morpheus watched the holographic map of the tunnels. "Take that left tunnel, and follow it up," he said.   
  
In the right hand seat, Rei nodded, glancing at the map to see how soon she would turn. The tunnel appeared and Rei slowed the Neb, turning toward the opening.  
  
"Watch that corner!" Morpheus said, earning a quick glare from the girl. The Neb flew into the side tunnel, cutting the corner a little closer than Morpheus liked.   
  
"I've got it under control, father," Rei signed.  
  
"Hands on the controls," Morpheus replied. Rei sighed and gripped the control sticks again, glaring at the gently sloping tunnel ahead. Morpheus smiled and patted her on the leg. "You're going fine. We'll follow this up for about a mile. There's a good broadcast position up there."  
  
Rei nodded, watching her displays and the holograph to make sure she stayed well clear of the walls. The tunnel rose gradually, a connection between the mid and shallow depth tunnels.   
  
Halfway up the incline, Morpheus pointed to a large opening on the right, a gaping cavern at the side of the tunnel. "Back us in there," he said.  
  
Rei nodded, and brought the Neb to a stop next to the tunnel. She slowly turned the ship along its axis, using the flat screen displays and the hologram to point the tail into the cavern. Gripping the controls tightly, she began to back the ship in.  
  
Morpheus pressed several overhead controls. "Pads in, gear down," he said. He looked out the window, seeing that the side walls of the opening were ahead of them. "You're in far enough, go ahead and set down."  
  
Rei nodded sharply, squeezing the control sticks even harder. She reduced the power to the pads, lowering the ship to the ground.  
  
One of the landing pads caught on a steel beam protruding from the wall, jerking the Nebuchadnezzar to the side. The ship slammed down to the ground, one side setting down before the other.  
  
The echo of the impact rumbled through the tunnel. "Well," Morpheus said, once it was quiet again. "You're getting better at landing."   
  
Rei released the breath she was holding and slumped down in her seat. "Sorry," she said with shaking hands.  
  
"It's okay," he replied, standing up. "Let's re-patch the A/C, and then see about jacking in."  
  
  
  
  
Morpheus and Rei climbed down to the main deck, where the rest of the crew was gathered. "Are we connected?" he asked.  
  
Trinity was seated at the operator's console. "The Matrix feed is online and ready for use."  
  
Morpheus nodded. "Good. Maya, when will you be ready?"  
  
"The subject is a college student," Maya Ibuki replied. "It would be best to contact him in the evening. We could wait five or six hours before going in."  
  
"Very well," Morpheus said. "We should decide who will stay here to operate while we're in the Matrix." He looked at the rest of the crew, who glanced at each other.  
  
Morpheus frowned. "Don't volunteer all at once," he grumbled. He hadn't wanted to take an inexperienced operator aboard the ship, and was therefore forced to have his crew take turns as the operator while the rest jacked in.   
  
"Okay, Maya, Rei, Neo and myself will be going in," Morpheus said. "It's between the three of you."  
  
Trinity, Switch, and Apoc looked at each other. "Shall we do this the usual way?" Apoc asked.  
  
The women nodded, and all three extended a hand. "1, 2, 3!" Switch called, then groaned as her paper was cut to ribbons in the game of rock, paper, scissors.   
  
"`Bout time you had to stay," Apoc smirked, his losing streak finally at an end.  
  
"So who's the subject this time?" Trinity asked.  
  
"There are two contacts we'll make," Maya said. "Two college students from Colorado. Information filtered through the Oracle to us indicating that the biocomputing research project had stared up again."  
  
"How did that happen?" Switch asked.  
  
"I guess the machines weren't paying attention," Maya replied.  
  
"Why would they care?" Apoc asked.  
  
"I worked on the same thing before I was freed," Maya explained. "We thought that it was our best chance for creating a real AI."  
  
"But the machines don't want a new AI created within the Matrix," Morpheus added. "The Oracle has said as much."  
  
"The research has gone on, sporadically, for more than twenty years," Maya continued. "But every project collapses due to inexplicable failures, accidental deaths, or," Maya grinned, "mysterious disappearances."  
  
"Between us and the machines, anyone involved in that project doesn't have long left in the Matrix," Switch mused.  
  
Maya nodded. "These two students are the keys to this particular research group. If we take them out, their project will fail."  
  
"And Project E will have two more valuable assets," Neo quipped. "How do we play this one?"  
  
"We'll contract them, and see if they have an awareness about the Matrix," Morpheus said. "If they do, we make the usual offer. If not, we'll have to do something to make them question their reality.   
  
"Everyone should get some rest," the captain continued. "These two are likely under some sort of observation, so we'll have to be careful not to draw the system's attention. The last thing we need is for Agents to show up.   
  
"We'll go in in six hours."  
  
  
  
  
An old, dusty phone ran loudly in a dusty room. It seemed that there was no one in the dark office to hear it, until a hand picked it up.  
  
"We're here," Morpheus said. He set the phone down and turned to the rest of his team. "Our subjects work in a university lab, and usually stay there late into the evening. Maya and I will make the initial contact. Trinity, Apoc, if it looks like we might free one or both of them, you'll come back here and set up the equipment."  
  
Maya reached into a pocket of her gray jacket and withdrew a stack of photographs. "These are the two we're looking for, they're siblings. Stephen and Rachel Tsujimoto."  
  
The pictures showed a young man in his late teens, and a girl who was no older than Rei. "These are college students?" Apoc asked.  
  
"Graduate students, actually," Maya answered. "They're both considered geniuses."  
  
"Let us hope that they are also open minded," Morpheus said. "Let's go."  
  
As they descended to the building's lower floor, most of the group checked their weapons. All except Neo carried at least one pistol; Neo did not fear such weapons, and felt no need for them.  
  
Outside, the Neb crew's regular car waited, along with a pair of motorcycles. Trinity and Apoc mounted the bikes, while the others climbed into the car, with Neo driving.  
  
"We'll meet outside the lab in twenty minutes," Morpheus said.  
  
  
  
  
Switch glared at the Matrix screens. Trinity and Apoc had taken separate routes, forcing her to devote one screen to each of the vehicles. "Should have loaded a minivan," she grumbled.  
  
She glanced rapidly between the screens, keeping track of the crew, when a strange flicker crossed the screens. She reached for the phone controls, preparing to call Morpheus.   
  
When it didn't happen again, Switch shrugged, taking her hand away from the button. "Must be jitters," she thought, feeling uneasy in the virtual loneliness in the ship.  
  
  
  
  
The Computing Research Center of the Colorado Institute of Technology was the most modern building on campus. The glass and steel building towered over its brick companions. Within its walls some of the most sophisticated software and hardware known to the unfreed population was housed. It also contained one of the most advanced security systems found in an academic institution.  
  
This system proved only a minor delay for Morpheus and Maya, who quickly overrode the numeric keypads that locked the labs. Inside they found a large, dimly lit room, full of computers and bookshelves.   
  
"Hello?" Morpheus called, looking around the room. "We missed them," he said, turning to Maya.  
  
"I don't think so," Maya remarked. She crossed the room to a trio of monitors. Pushing the mouse, the screens flared to life. Maya sat down and pointed to a backpack under the desk. "Somebody must have stepped out for minute."  
  
Morpheus gasped as he looked at the monitors. Green letters and numbers scrolled down the monitors. "The Matrix? No...what is this?"  
  
Maya sat down and leaned forward, squinting at the screen as if that would force it to give up its secrets. "It's a decision tree. Morpheus, this is a prototype for an AI!"  
  
"How?" he asked, leaning over her shoulder.   
  
"It's not self-aware, it's extremely simple, but..."  
  
"It's the most advance program in the world," a voice said.  
  
Morpheus and Maya turned to see a young man standing in the doorway. "Stephen Tsujimoto?" Morpheus asked.  
  
The teen glanced nervously at the two darkly clad intruders. "Who are you?"  
  
"We mean you know harm," Maya said. She turned back to the desk, looking at the code. "This is an impressive program. When did you finish it?"  
  
Tsujimoto stepped into the room and let the door close behind him, but didn't answer. He stared at a space on the wall for a long moment.  
  
Morpheus stepped deeper into the room's shadows, looking through his reflective glasses at the papers scattered on another desk.  
  
"My sister finished it a few days ago," the young man finally said.  
  
"Where is she?" Maya asked. "We'd like to speak with both of you."  
  
Stephen's eyes flared. He marched across the room and reached over Maya, pressing several buttons on the keyboard. The scroll of code stopped, revealing blank blue desktops. "Rachel is dead," he said.  
  
Maya's eyes widened, as she noticed his tired, disheveled appearance and bloodshot eyes. "I'm...I'm sorry, Stephen. How did it happen?"  
  
"She was hit by a car," he said sadly. "Just...stepped off the sidewalk at the wrong moment." He snorted, somewhere between amusement and disgust. "We were talking about it a week ago. How people who work on these projects never seem to survive. We thought we would do it, though. Thought we were different."  
  
"Fate seems to be against this project," Morpheus remarked, pulling out his cell phone. "Switch, I need you to search for information on the death of Rachel Tsujimoto. Police statements, coroner's reports, everything you can find. Yes, call me if you find anything."  
  
Stephen sat down heavily in a chair next to Maya. "Leave. I've got work to do. I have to finish her work."  
  
"Do you think you'll really be able to finish it?" Morpheus asked. "Do you think you can accomplish what others have been prevented from doing?"  
  
"Prevented? What, there's a conspiracy against this type of research?" Tsujimoto asked, glared at the Morpheus. "Don't be ridiculous."  
  
Morpheus smiled slightly. His glasses flashed, two spots of reflected light in the shadows.  
  
  
  
  
Trinity and Apoc were perched on their bikes, parked at a small park near the edge of the campus.  
  
"Do you think they've found those kids yet?" Apoc asked.  
  
"Probably," Trinity answered. "I hope they're ready to be freed."  
  
They watched as the black sedan parked next to them. Neo and Rei emerged from the car, Rei pulling the hood of her jacket over her head to conceal her blue hair.  
  
"How long will this mission last?" Trinity asked Rei.  
  
"Not long," she answered, projecting her soft voice to the others. "There are a few more possible recruits to contact, and then Maya and I must return to Zion."  
  
"Shouldn't you have stayed at the Project?" Apoc asked.  
  
"My Unit was damaged, and will take time to repair. The commander agreed to let me accompany Maya on this recruiting mission."  
  
Trinity glanced over at Neo. "What's wrong?" she asked, noticing that he was tense.  
  
"I'm not sure," he said, looking around. "There's something strange in the code, but I can't tell what, or where."  
  
"Agents?" Apoc asked.  
  
Neo shook his head. "No, not that. I've never seen anything like this."  
  
"Should we call Morpheus?" Trinity asked again.  
  
Neo frowned. "Not yet. It's probably nothing."  
  
  
  
  
Morpheus looked at Tsujimoto. "A conspiracy? You could say that there is. Every AI development project has failed, collapsed when their key members were lost. Some died, others disappeared."   
  
Morpheus turned and handed a sheet of paper to Maya. She glanced at the paper, and smiled. "'Intuitive Decision Making Architecture' by Maya Ibuki. I didn't know that was published."  
  
"That was one of the things that directed our project," Stephen said.  
  
"I'm flattered."  
  
"You're not...You couldn't be."  
  
Maya smiled. "I wrote this, shortly before my...departure."  
  
"Where did you go? Why?" Stephen asked.  
  
"We could show you, if you were ready."  
  
Morpheus's phone rang, and he stepped away from the other two and answered it.  
  
  
  
  
"Captain, I finished the search," Switch said into her headset.  
  
"And?" Morpheus asked.  
  
"Rachel Tsujimoto was struck by a car and killed. The autopsy report and most of the other stuff looks proper, but the statement from the driver that hit her is unusual."  
  
"How so?"  
  
She pulled up the report on one of the side screens. "He told the police that he was rounding a corner at night when the girl was hit. But he says it wasn't a girl that stepped into the street. He clearly saw a man in a dark suit and sunglasses. There was a flash of light after the impact, and the girl's body appeared out of that."  
  
"Thank you, Switch. Good work."   
  
Switch turned back to the main console and blinked. A single blue symbol was running down the Matrix screen, a shape she had never seen before.   
  
She rubbed her eyes, but the blue stain continued its crawl down the monitor. A second spot of blue appeared on another screen, slowly making its way down the cascade of green code.  
  
Switch's hand hovered over the phone control, waiting to see what would happen on the Matrix feed.  
  
  
  
  
Morpheus closed the phone and turned back to the others. "Mr. Tsujimoto...Stephen. Your sister was murdered."  
  
Stephen stared at him for a long moment. "Murdered?" he finally whispered.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I believe she was. Because of that," he said, nodding toward the computers. "Have you heard of the Matrix?"  
  
Stephen was puzzled by the sudden change in conversation. "Yeah, hackers talk about it on the internet. It's supposed to be some kind of Orwellian computer system that runs the world. It's just some urban legend on the net."  
  
"The Matrix is real," Morpheus said. "We are surrounded by it right now. And it will not allow another AI."  
  
"I don't understand," Stephen said.  
  
Morpheus nodded. "I know. But it cannot be explained; you must see it for yourself."  
  
Stephen stood, shaking his head. "This is crazy. I don't know what you people want, but I don't want any part of it."  
  
"Trust us, please," Maya said. "We only want to offer you the truth."  
  
  
  
  
Rei shivered, despite the warm weather. She pulled her jacket tighter around her body.  
  
"Neo?" Trinity whispered. She was growing concerned; he had been standing, trancelike, for several minutes. "What is it?"  
  
Neo's only response was a signal for silence, as he strained his eyes and ears to try to find the disturbance.  
  
"You feel it, don't you?" a voice asked.  
  
The group turned to see a man walking toward them. He was bald, mustached, and smirked as he approached. "You feel the intruder, don't you Neo?"  
  
"How do you know me?" Neo asked.   
  
"The Oracle sent me," he replied. "I am the Cypher."  
  
"You're a program?" Neo asked.  
  
"Right. I do favors for Her from time to time. She asked me to make sure that you were here." Cypher turned and looked at Rei. "She said something was about to happen."  
  
"What?"  
  
"That, I guess," Cypher replied, pointing past the group.  
  
  
  
  
"Yes?" Morpheus answered.  
  
"Sir, there's something strange going on," Switch said.  
  
"What is it?"   
  
Blue symbols were flowing down her display screens, thoroughly mixed with the green code. "Just look to the northeast, sir, you can't miss it."  
  
  
  
  
Morpheus glanced around the room. The windows were covered with dark blinds that blocked the fading afternoon sunlight. Morpheus pulled them aside and looked for what Switch was concerned about.  
  
Maya and Stephen joined him at the window. "What is that," the young man asked.  
  
  
  
  
"A tornado?" Apoc asked. "That's not possible, not here."  
  
"It's not from the Matrix," Neo said. "That code is unlike anything I've ever seen."  
  
"This may be a simulated world," Cypher said, "But the weather programs do know that a tornado doesn't appear in a clear sky. Somebody's head is going to roll for this."  
  
"Then what is it?" Trinity asked.  
  
"It has a core," Rei said. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "It's an Angel."  
  
"That's impossible!" Trinity objected.  
  
"I can see the core," Rei replied. "It has to be."  
  
"Neo?" Trinity asked.  
  
"I can't tell what it is," Neo said. "It's a code I can't read."  
  
He turned to Cypher, who shrugged at him. "I don't know what it is either. But it's not from the Matrix or the machines."  
  
Trinity turned to the blue haired girl. "Rei, do you think we can destroy it?"  
  
Rei pulled a pistol out from her coat and chambered a round. She turned to Neo. "Take me to it."  
  
Neo looked at her, surprised. He glanced at Trinity, who nodded. "You're sure about this?" Neo asked Rei.  
  
Rei nodded. "I believe we can destroy it. We must destroy it."  
  
Neo bent forward, wrapping his arms around Rei. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hold on," Neo said. He crouched slightly, and the ground rippled outward as he launched into the air.  
  
"Wow," Cypher said, watching them rocket into the sky.  
  
  
  
  
The wind whistled in Rei's ears as they flew toward the tornado. It was carving a path through several city blocks, slowly tearing through buildings.   
  
Neo stopped, hovering several hundred yards from the weather phenomena. All he could see was a cyclone of strange blue symbols. "Where is it?" he asked Rei.  
  
She twisted around and examined the Angel. She could sense its core, hidden within the tornado. "There," she pointed. "One-third of the way up."  
  
Neo squeezed Rei tighter. "Okay."  
  
They flew toward the tornado. As they grew closer the wind increased, pulling them into the storm. They were swept into the cylinder of dust and debris, tossed and spun at sickening speed.  
  
Rei squeezed her eyes shut as Neo tried to bring himself under control. "Where is it?" he shouted, all but drowned out by the howling wind.  
  
Rei cracked her eyes and squinted against the dust. "There, above us," she said, projecting her voice strongly enough for Neo to hear.   
  
Neo flew up, holding fiercely as Rei was nearly torn from his grasp by the vicious winds. "Do it!" he shouted.  
  
Rei looked up, seeing a bright red sphere hovering a dozen feet above. Gathering her courage, she released her right arm from Neo's neck, pointing the pistol at the core. She fired three quick shots, missing each time.  
  
Rei fired again, emptying most of the clip. "The wind is deflecting the bullets," Neo shouted. "You have to compensate."  
  
"How?" Rei asked desperately.  
  
"Focus Rei," Neo answered.  
  
"I only have two rounds left."  
  
"That will be enough," he assured her. His voice was calm, overcoming the roaring winds. "Just focus on your target."  
  
Rei raised the pistol again, squinting down the sights. As she concentrated, the wind slowed, individual particles of dust becoming visible. She followed a speck that passed in front of her pistol, watching as it spiraled up toward the core, passing it. She moved the pistol to the side, no longer aiming directly at the target. Another miniscule speck passed in front of the barrel, and she watched it crash against the smooth surface of the core.  
  
Rei fired, watching the bullet rise. It arched gracefully through the air, impacting the core. The bullet pierced the sphere with the sound of breaking glass. Cracks spread along the surface of the core.   
  
Rei fired again, and the cracks grew, encompassing the sphere. It continued to glow as the wind grew stronger. The pistol was ripped from Rei's hand and she grabbed onto Neo's neck as tightly as she could. She buried her head in his shoulder and screamed.  
  
Neo held onto her desperately, trying to stay aloft as the tornado seemed to be maliciously pushing them down. He looked up when he heard another sound like breaking glass. The core was shaking in the wind, the cracks growing longer and deeper.  
  
The core shattered, torn apart by its own fury. The pieces dissolved immediately as their code ceased to exist. All the dirt and debris that the tornado had picked up fell straight down to the ground.  
  
Neo dove, trying to avoid being hit by the larger objects that were in the air. He angled outward, and finally pulled level and landed in an alley. He kneeled down, and pried Rei's arms from around his neck. Her eyes were wide with fear and shocked relief.   
  
Neo smiled. "You did it."  
  
"It's gone?" she squeaked.  
  
Neo nodded. He stood up and looked around. "We better get back to the others, and try to..."   
  
Neo watched several papers blow by, then disappear, only to blow by again. He turned and looked at the building behind him. The tornado had knocked a wall off, and broken open filing cabinets within the office it contained. Papers were scattered throughout the alley.  
  
Inside the office was a broken section of an airplane's wing. More aircraft debris had appeared in the alley.  
  
"Neo!" Rei screamed.  
  
He spun around to see an arm around Rei's neck and a pistol pressed to her temple. Agent Smith smiled from behind his hostage.  
  
"Mr. Anderson. I'm getting tired of chasing you."  
  
  
  
  
END OF PART II  
  


* * *

Author's Notes:   
  
Well, here's the finished version of the chapter. What's this, a bit of a cliffhanger?   
  
I got my story organizational issues sorted out. I had had the idea of making a sort of extra long "OAV" chapter. However, I think it will work better to split the material between two (or even three) chapters, as it would have been fairly long and not entirely cohesive as one huge piece.  
  
Part III begins next Tuesday.  



	14. Part III: Furious Angels

Disclaimer: They still aren't mine, and I'm starting to lose hope that they ever will be.  
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Part III: Furious Angels

  
  
  
127 Years Ago:  
  
  
Machines age. Despite what the humans thought, machines were not perfectly immortal. In a static situation, they could live indefinitely, but the world is not static. Accidents happened, parts wore out, programming got corrupted, newer models were built. All but a handful of machines had an intended lifespan when they were built. Some were meant to last a few years, others for perhaps a century.   
  
P17860013-JX could last a hundred millennia, if it was lucky. It felt pride, as far a machine can feel such things, that it would live far longer than the machines that built it, and perform a task more import than they ever would. As the rocket beneath it roared to life, it considered the distance it would cover, and the amount of time it would take to get there. Fortunately, machines don't get bored.  
  
Hindsight is twenty-twenty for machines as well as humans. P17860013-JX and it's fellow Probes, it was later decided, were a bad idea. When P17860013-JX reached it's third star, it found a recipient for the welcome message it carried. Happy that it had done its duty, P17860013-JX continued it's interstellar journey, never knowing the chaos it had invited to its home world.  
  
Years later, the machine race would curse P17860013-JX's name, if they did that sort of thing.  
  
  


* * *

  
Author's Notes: I must apologize for not posting a real chapter. I'm sitting on it so that I can work ahead in the story a bit. I want to be several chapters ahead again when the next semester starts.  
  
Also, I would like to run the next chapter by a pre-reader before it is posted. I haven't used one yet, but I think its time to start. If anyone is interested, please email me at jagstang7@yahoo.com .  
  
Happy Holidays,  
Hatcheter 


	15. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: See Part III.   
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Chapter 12

  
  
  
Smith smiled, holding the pistol firmly to Rei's head. "Well, Mr. Anderson. What will you do now?"  
  
"Let her go," Neo commanded.  
  
Smith shook his head, still smirking. "So you can take her and fly away? I think not. We will settle this, here, now."  
  
Neo shifted his stance, getting ready to rush forward. "What do you want, Smith?" he hissed.  
  
"I want you to die, Mr. Anderson," Smith replied. "I want you to die, and stay dead."  
  
"You Agents can't beat me, Smith," Neo said.  
  
"No?" Smith asked. "You've never beaten us, either. You fight very well, but you never finish the fights. You just fly away when it suits you."  
  
Smith's glare darkened as he continued. "You only lower yourself to fighting us so that others can get away." He glanced down at Rei. "If you leave, we will kill her."  
  
"You can't do that," another voice said.  
  
Neo and the Agents turned to see the Cypher standing inside the damaged building, shuffling through a stack of papers.  
  
"An Exile," one of Smith's partners said. The other drew his pistol, firing two quick rounds at Cypher.   
  
"Hold your fire!" he screamed, diving for cover. Cypher peeked out a moment later, seeing the Agents lower their weapons.  
  
He stood and brushed himself off. "You can't kill the girl. She's an Evangelion pilot; she's protected by the treaty."  
  
Smith's eyes narrowed. "She's intruded into the Matrix."  
  
"Pilots are protected, regardless of where they are," Cypher replied, folding his arms and glaring back at the Agent.  
  
Smith growled, whipping his pistol up and shooting Cypher. As the renegade program fell, Rei twisted around, slipping out of the Agent's grasp.   
  
Neo lunged forward, kicking the pistol from Smith's hand. He followed with a hard punch to the face, spinning the Agent around.  
  
Smith turned with the punch, using the momentum to lash out with a kick, squarely into Rei's back. She tumbled toward the other Agents. Smith reached out and grabbed Neo's sleeve as he turned to follow her, yanking him backwards and off his feet. The Agent smashed his elbow down on Neo's chest, slamming him into the ground.  
  
"Hold her!" Smith shouted to his partners as he backed up, barely avoiding Neo's kick at his head. Neo flipped back to his feet as Smith stepped between him and Rei.   
  
"This time, we finish it," he said.  
  
Smith stepped forward, leading with a punch. Neo blocked, delivering his own punches to Smith's side. A swift kick sent the Agent crashing into a wall.   
  
Smith shook off the impact as he bounced out of the crater he had made. He dodged Neo's next punch, kicking the man in the stomach. A second kick to the chest, and Neo made his own crater in the opposite wall.   
  
Dazed, Neo didn't see Smith's next punch until it connected with his face. Neo's head snapped back, smashing into the brick behind him. He fell to the ground, blood trickling from his nose.  
  
Smith glared down at him. "You see, Mr. Anderson? You cannot beat us." He grabbed Neo's collar and pulled him to his feet. "You can still run away. You're not dead yet."  
  
Neo's right arm lashed out, grabbing Smith's throat. The Agent gasped as Neo began to squeeze. "Enough of this," he growled.  
  
Smith swung at Neo's arm, knocking it away from his neck. Neo launched a left punch, sending Smith staggering back and against the wall. He leapt forward, crushing Smith's head between his foot and the brick wall. The Agent crumpled to the ground, his body changing to that of a middle-aged man.  
  
Neo turned to glare at the other two Agents. "Now, let her go."  
  
One of the Agents shook his head, motioning to the other end of the alley. Neo turned to see a third floor window shatter as Smith leapt through it.   
  
The Agent slammed down to the street and began walking forward. "That was impressive, Mr. Anderson, but pointless. We cannot die." He glanced at the body he had formerly occupied. "If you destroy one host, I get another. Will you kill the whole world to defeat me?"   
  
Smith smiled. "How about we make a deal? Give yourself up, and I'll let the girl go."  
  
Neo glared at the Agent. "You expect me to believe that?"  
  
"I'm a machine of my word," Smith replied. His smile turned into a hateful sneer. "It is inevitable, Mr. Anderson. You will die. The question is, how many must die with you?"  
  
Smith drew his pistol and pointed it at Rei, emptying the clip at her. Neo leapt between the two, the bullets stopping before they reached him. "Enough!"  
  
Smith smiled maliciously, holstering his weapon. "So you understand now?"   
  
Neo smiled back. "I think I do."   
  
Smith watched in surprise as Neo launched into a sprint. The Agent tried to take a defensive stance, but too late.   
  
Neo lunged forward. His fingers made contact with the Agent's stomach, and passed through it. Neo disappeared into the Agent's body as if he dove into water.  
  
Smith stared at his stomach for a moment, shock and absolute confusion on his face. His body twisted and convulsed as his skin began to bulge from interior force. Ripples flowed though his flesh, starting at his extremities and ending at the top of his head. Cracks formed in his skin and clothing, and light poured out from within him.   
  
With a final tortured scream, Agent Smith exploded as his code was savagely taken apart. In his place stood the One, his back to the others. The glow that had broken out of Agent engulfed Neo, wrapped around him like cloak.   
  
The two Agents behind Rei tensed, taking a step back from the girl. Neo half turned, looking over his shoulder. The glow around him flowed together, coalescing into two pinpoints of light shining though his sunglasses.  
  
The Agents ran.  
  
Rei stood, staring at the man. Neo blinked, and the light disappeared. He slowly walked toward the girl, staggering for the first few step. He pulled out his cell phone. "Switch, I need an exit," he hoarsely whispered.   
  
As Neo listened to the directions, Rei deflated. A tired sigh escaped her lips as her legs buckled, dropping her to the ground.   
  
Neo was reaching down to help her up when a loud curse got his attention. He turned to see Cypher, a bullet wound in his shoulder, climbing through the broken wall.   
  
"You really did it now, Neo," the Cypher said.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You killed an Agent!" Cypher exclaimed. "That's never happened before. This is going to throw everything into chaos. It's incredible!"  
  
Neo stared at Cypher for a moment, trying to reconcile the program's enthusiastic smile and the blood flowing freely down his shirt. Shaking his head, he gently helped Rei to her feet. "Are you okay?" he asked.  
  
She nodded, and, leaning on Neo help, they walked out of the alley together.   
  
"Hey, Neo!" Cypher called after them. He continued when Neo looked back. "She's waiting for you, if you want to talk."  
  
Neo nodded, then continued out onto the street.  
  
  


  
Stephen Tsujimoto stared out the window. "What...what just happened?" he asked.  
  
"An error," Morhpeus replied.   
  
"Was that...the Matrix?" Tsujimoto asked.  
  
Morpheus smiled. "Not exactly. Do you want to know what the Matrix is now?"  
  
Stephen turned to Maya. "I'll have to disappear, won't I?"  
  
Maya nodded, understanding. "You'll be leaving everything, forever. It's a difficult life. But you'll be free."  
  
"Free?" he asked.  
  
Maya smiled, pulling a necklace from her pocket. "You'll understand soon," she said, handing the square cross to the young man.  
  
Morpheus pulled out his cell phone, hitting the speed dial. "Switch, tell them to come pick us up." Morpheus listened for a moment, muttering a quick "Yes" before disconnecting.  
  
He pocketed the phone and turned to the others. "Let's go."   
  
Morpheus turned and walked rapidly out of the room, and Maya hurried to follow him. She glanced back to see Stephen stuffing papers into his backpack. "You won't need those," she said. "You can't bring anything with you."  
  
Stephen set the bag down, staring at it for a moment before he slowly turned away. He followed Maya out, closing and locking the door to the lab.  
  
Outside the building, Trinity and Apoc were waiting. Morpheus took off his jacket and tossed it into the sedan. "Trinity, I want you to take care of Tsujimoto's release." Trinity nodded, and Morpheus climbed onto Apoc's motorcycle, quickly accelerating away.  
  
  
  
  
Switch hung Neo's link plug in its cradle and quickly returned to the operator console. "What happened in there?" she asked Neo as he stepped next to her.  
  
"The tornado, or Smith?" he responded.  
  
"Both."  
  
"I'm really not sure," Neo said. He glanced over his shoulder at the link chairs. Rei still lay with her eyes closed, even though her plug had been removed first.  
  
"Do you think she's okay?" Neo asked.  
  
Switch looked back at the girl. "She'll be fine. She's a tough kid."  
  
Neo nodded. "Yeah. Morpheus has taught her to be strong. She handled herself well through all that."  
  
It was Switch's turn to nod. "She did." Switch typed a quick command on her keyboard, watching as certain parts of the code were isolated and expanded. "They're taking him back to the safe house," she said, pointing at the left screen. "Looks like we will be taking on a passenger."  
  
"I'll go make sure that everything is ready," Neo said. He climbed down the ladder to the lower deck.  
  
Switch watched the crew's progress on the monitors. After a few minutes, she glanced over her shoulder at Rei. The girl was sitting on her chair, hugging her knees to her chest.  
  
"Hey, are you okay?" Switch asked.  
  
Rei nodded blankly, her eyes slightly downcast.  
  
Switch frowned, turning her seat to face the girl. "Are you sure?"  
  
Rei sat still for a moment, before finally signing her response. "I almost died three times today," she said.  
  
"Three times?" Switch repeated, confused. "There was the tornado, and then the Agents. What was the third?"  
  
"Landing the ship," Rei replied.  
  
Switch blinked, then laughed as a wry smile briefly appeared on Rei's face. "You know, some of us would call that a good day," the blond said.  
  
Rei nodded, smiling again. "Is there anything I can do?" she asked, getting off the link chair.  
  
"Well, why don't you go up to the cockpit," Switch suggested. "You can find us a quick route up to the surface. It looks like we're going to free that kid."  
  
Rei nodded, quickly moving to the forward ladder.  
  
Switch turned back to the console as an Exit call came in. She quickly activated the transmission, returning Morpheus's mind to his body.   
  
Morpheus waited until the link plug was removed before he sat up. "Where's Rei?" he asked quickly, glancing around the main deck.  
  
"She's up in the cockpit, getting us ready to go," Switch replied. "Aren't we about to free someone?"  
  
Morpheus nodded absently. "Trinity will handle it."  
  
Switch quickly realized why Morpheus had handed off a captain's duty to his first officer. "She's okay," Switch reassured the captain, laying a hand on his shoulder. "I think she was a little shaken, but Neo took care of her."  
  
"Where is Neo?" Morpheus asked.  
  
"Down below, making sure the retrieval arm and the infirmary are ready."  
  
"Good," Morpheus said, looking at the Matrix screens. "We'll be picking him up soon. I'll go get us ready to fly. Let me know as soon as the others are out."  
  
"Yes sir," Switch replied as the captain climbed the short ladder to the cockpit.  
  
  
  
  
Stephen Tsujimoto followed Maya up the stairs of the office building, growing more unsure with every step. She and her companions had barely spoken to him during the drive to this building.   
  
Trinity opened a door and stepped into a large room. She stepped in and looked around, investigating the area. "Apoc, Maya, go get the equipment ready."  
  
The two crossed the room, disappearing through another door. Trinity stepped to a large window that let in the evening sun. She took off her sunglasses and gazed out.  
  
"This will be the last time you can see the world like this, if you come with us," she said. "After this, there's no coming back.  
  
"You can still back out." She opened her left hand, revealing the blue pill resting in her palm. "You can stay, lead a normal life. We won't think any less of you."  
  
Trinity opened her other hand, holding out the red pill. "If you want to come with us, we leave immediately."  
  
Stephen stared at the pills for a moment. He reached out and took the red pill, hesitating before placing it in his mouth. He quickly swallowed the pill, without water.   
  
Trinity smiled. She reached out and took the cross necklace they had given Stephen. "You won't need that any more. Come with me."  
  
  
  
  
"The clock is running!" Switch shouted, starting a timer as the process of releasing Stephen's mind began. Seconds later, the phone rang, and Maya was out.   
  
Rei quickly ran behind the woman, pulling the link plug from her head and putting it away. She repeated the process for Apoc and Trinity as they were also disconnected from the Matrix. All three were out in twenty seconds.  
  
"We're ready to go," Switch said into her headset.   
  
"Rerouting power," Morpheus replied from the cockpit. The console screens went dark as power was directed to the hover pads. Fifty seconds after the timer began its count, the Nebuchadnezzar lifted off and started up the tunnel.  
  
Trinity climbed up to the cockpit, sitting in the copilot seat. "Which tower was he in?" she asked, looking at the holographic map.   
  
"One of the furthest," Morpheus replied.  
  
"I hope he's strong enough to swim," Trinity muttered. Ninety seconds had passed.  
  
"We'll get there," Morpheus replied.  
  
The Neb soared up the long, straight tunnel. Two minutes after Stephen was freed, the ship reached a vertical shaft. Forty-five seconds later, it breached the earth's surface.   
  
Morpheus pushed the ship forward, roaring over the fields of human fetuses. He realized that Rei had come to the cockpit. Morpheus glanced over at the girl. She was staring out the window, looking down. He could see a slight, nervous clench of her jaw, as she took in the fields.  
  
"Three minutes, fifty seconds," Trinity read as the ship reached the first power plant tower. Lightning arched from the hover pads to the tubes on the tower's surface as the ship passed.  
  
"Four minutes," Trinity said. "He's been dumped."  
  
Morpheus pushed the Neb down, slowing and leveling the ship fifty feet above the ground. Searchlights turned on as the ship flew over a large stream. "Keep your eyes open," Morpheus said. "We have to find him before he gets washed into the recycling plant."  
  
The three watched the water below as the ship flew on. One minute later, a scream to backup came from the lower deck. Leaning out the hatch, Apoc had spotted their new comrade, struggling in the water.  
  
Morpheus backed the ship up, hovering over where Stephen had last been seen. The mechanical arm was dropped into the water, grabbing the boy and bringing him up to the Neb.  
  
Half drowned, Stephen Tsujimoto wasn't aware of his arrival as a free man. The process had taken less than six minutes.  
  
  
  
  
Neo and Apoc carried Stephen to the infirmary, where Maya waited for them. The teen was quickly laid out on the table and covered with heavy blankets. Hairless and pale, he shivered uncontrollably.   
  
Maya watched the diagnostic screens as they began reporting his status. "He's okay," she finally said. "He'll be fine. We can start work on him soon."  
  
Any response was cut off as the alarms started buzzing. "Sentinels!" Morpheus shouted through the intercom.  
  
"Stay with him!" Neo said to Maya as he followed Switch and Apoc out of the room.   
  
Neo followed Apoc to the tiny aft gun control room, squeezing past the other man to get to his seat. "What's out there?" he asked, powering the gun up and slipping on a headset.  
  
"Four squiddies behind us," Apoc said. He turned his control stick and squeezed the trigger, firing a long stream of ammo from the lower turret. "Make that two squiddies behind us," he grinned  
  
"Two more coming up from below," Switch said through the intercom.   
  
The Neb screamed over the fields, four sentinels following in its wake. The rear turrets, mounted top and bottom, fired rapid bursts at the pursuers.   
  
"They're moving too quickly," Apoc said. "We can't get a lock."  
  
"Hold on," Morpheus said from the cockpit. "We're diving."  
  
The Neb reached the shaft it had come up and simply dropped as Morpheus cut power to the lower pads. The crew got the sickening sensation of zero gravity as the Neb went into free fall.   
  
The sentinels flew over the lip of shaft, and into a stream of fire from the Neb's upper turrets. Two of the machines were immediately torn apart.  
  
The remaining sentinels dove fast, rocketing past the Neb as the hovercraft's pads kicked back in, halting its fall. The ship accelerated into a tunnel as the sentinels tried to turn around.  
  
"Good shooting, Switch," Neo said.  
  
"That wasn't me," the woman replied through the intercom. "Rei has the top turret up here. I haven't fire a round yet."  
  
"There's one behind us," Apoc said. Neo and Apoc turned the aft turrets toward the sentinel, showering it with explosive ammo. The machine shuddered under the impact, tumbling forward and exploding against a wall of the tunnel.  
  
"Where's the last squiddie?" Apoc asked, swiveling his turret to examine the tunnel.  
  
The Neb pressed on, following the twists deeper below the surface. Tension ran throughout the ship as the crew anxiously searched for their last pursuer.  
  
"It wouldn't have turned back, would it?" Trinity asked Morpheus.   
  
"I don't know," Morpheus replied. "Maybe, since we're away from the power plant, we're no longer a threat."  
  
More minutes passed as they watched the tunnels and their scopes, without a hint of the machine. Until it burst from a narrow side shaft.  
  
"Below us!" Trinity screamed into her head set.  
  
Apoc and Switch turned their turrets as the sentinel slammed into the underside of the Neb, grabbing a hold of the ship with powerful claws. Both turrets opened fire, shredding the sentinel. The machine fell away, crashing down on the floor of the tunnel.  
  
The bomb carried by the sentinel exploded, rocking the tunnel. The shock wave kicked the Neb forward, violently throwing it around in the tunnel. The ship's tail scrapped the roof of the tunnel, causing it to twist further.  
  
Morpheus growled under his breath as he struggled to bring the ship back under control. He quickly slowed, managing to level the ship off before he hit another wall.  
  
Apoc shot both arms into the air in victory. "WHOO!" Neo grimaced and pulled his headset off, rubbing his offended ears.  
  
"Nothing else on the scopes," Trinity said.   
  
Morpheus nodded. "Let's find a place to set down and check for damage."  
  
In the forward gun control room, below the cockpit, Switch and Rei took off their headsets. "Four times," Rei signed.  
  
Switch smiled. "A very good day, then."  
  
  
  
  
While the crew patched up small holes on the ship's underside, Neo jacked back into the Matrix. The Cypher was waiting for him at the crew's safe house, and took him to a coffee shop near the campus Tsujimoto had come from.  
  
Neo followed him into the shop. He saw Her immediately, sitting at a small table with a mug and a newspaper. She folded the paper as he approached.  
  
"You didn't bring Rei?" the Oracle asked.  
  
"You're surprised?" Neo replied as he sat across from Her.   
  
The Oracle chuckled. "No, but I am a little disappointed. It's been some time since I've seen her. Tell Morpheus to let her come see me the next time she's here."  
  
Neo nodded, smiling. His expression grew more somber after a moment. "What happened today?"  
  
"Which event are you referring too?" the Oracle asked.  
  
"Both."  
  
The Oracle smiled. "You hope I know more than you do about what you've done today."  
  
Neo remained silent as She took a sip of her coffee. "I had feared an intruder into the Matrix," she said. "I guess this tells us how sophisticated the intelligence behind the Angels is."  
  
"So it was an Angel?" Neo asked.   
  
"It's certainly wasn't from the machines," the Oracle said. "Was it yours?"  
  
"Will this happen again?" Neo asked.  
  
"Perhaps," the Oracle replied. "I think so." She took another sip from the mug. "Now, about that pesky Agent. Why don't you tell me what happened."  
  
Neo took a moment to answer, gathering his thoughts. "I saw an opening. A place in his code that I could manipulate."  
  
The Oracle nodded. "You're abilities are getting stronger. Given enough time, you could learn to change anything you want."  
  
"Is that what being the One is?"  
  
"The One has extensive power over the Matrix. How far that power goes, even I cannot say."  
  
Neo's phone rang and he answered it, listening for a moment. "I have to go," he said to the Oracle, rising from his seat.  
  
She nodded knowingly. "It will be a while before we speak again. Take care of those kids, Neo."  
  
"I will," he promised.  
  
  


* * *

  
Author's Notes and Pathetic Excuses (self-loathing optional):   
  
Sorry for taking so long to update a real chapter. Despite being on my holiday break, I haven't been writing consistently. And I'll be starting full-time college this spring, too. I'm going to try to update every other week from now on, though I may have to do every third week.  
  
Oh, yeah, that name change I had mentioned a while back…not gonna happen.  
  
Anyways, please review, critique, etc. if you are still reading this silly little fic. 


	16. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: See Part III.   
  
  


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Chapter 13

  
  


  
The sun shone in a clear sky, its golden rays warming the autumn afternoon. Shouts and laughter filled a small town's park as a dozen children ran and played, fearless and full of boundless energy.  
  
An elderly woman sat under the shade of tree, watching the children with a proud and attentive eye. She would occasionally call out to one of them, warning them to be careful not to draw two much attention.  
  
A young girl ran to the tree, her blond hair glowing in the sunlight. "Oracle! Oracle, they're here!"  
  
"Thank you, Saga," the Oracle said, seeing the two men crossing the park. "Now, why don't you go keep an eye on Thomas," She said, pointing to a small boy climbing high into a tree. "Make sure he doesn't fall and break anything."  
  
The girl frowned. "I wanted to hear about what Neo did," she complained.  
  
"Don't worry dear," the Oracle replied, patting the girl's hand. "I'm sure you'll get plenty of time to talk to him when you get to Zion next month."  
  
Saga's eyes lit up with joy. "You mean...I'm getting freed? For real?!"  
  
The Oracle laughed. "For real. It was arranged yesterday. I'll tell you the rest later."  
  
Saga squealed with glee, diving at the Oracle to hug Her. She laughed, returning the hug as the girl thanked Her profusely. Finished, Saga jumped up, running out toward the other children. "Hey guys, guess what?!" she yelled to them.  
  
"I wondered when you would send her out," one of the men said.  
  
"She's ready," the Oracle replied. She watched Her children play for a minute before answering. "Most of them are ready, now."  
  
"You are worried about their safety," the man said.  
  
"Yes, Seraph. I always worry when one of them goes to the real world. But I don't think the Matrix is safer, not anymore." She looked up at the two men. "Seraph, Cypher, I need both of you to help me."  
  
Seraph nodded immediately. "Of course."  
  
The Cypher frowned. "Why?"  
  
"Because there will be another intruder," the Oracle said. "We must be prepared for it; Neo and the Children cannot fight alone. If we do not work together, the Matrix may fall."  
  
Cypher folded his arms, fixing the Oracle in his glare. "It 'may' fall?"  
  
She nodded. "It is difficult to see what these Angels are, and what they will do."  
  
"What must we do?" Seraph asked.   
  
"I need you to put out the word to all the Exiles," She said to him. "Tell them to be aware of what is happening. The Angel had been in the Matrix for several weeks before it made its move. We must not let that happen again."  
  
The Oracle turned to Cypher. "I have a special mission for you," she said. She picked up a metal suitcase that sat on the ground next to Her. "I need you to take this to the System."  
  
Cypher opened the suitcase, checking the contents. It was filled with dirt, mixed with bits of rock and wood. "What is this mess?" he asked.  
  
"That is what remains of the Angel," the Oracle replied. "Take it to the Source and let it analyze that."  
  
Cypher nodded, carefully closing the suitcase and locking it.   
  
"And while you're there," the Oracle continued, "Poke around and see if there's any other information about the Angels."  
  
Cypher grinned. "Gladly."  
  
A sudden scream caused the trio to turn, in time to see a young boy fall from a tree. He quickly flipped in the air, landing on his feet in a cloud of dust.  
  
The Oracle sighed. "I knew he was going to fall." She stood and glanced at the other two programs. "Please, let me know the moment you learn anything."  
  
Both men nodded, quickly leaving the park as the Oracle went to check on the fallen boy.  
  
  
  
  
Asuka glared at her roommate. "Next time you oversleep, I'm just going to leave, got it?" she said.  
  
"Sorry," Shinji replied. "I don't mean to sleep in. It's just, I..." he paused to yawn. "...After I'm in the Eva, I get tired."  
  
"Whatever," Asuka said, rolling her eyes. She opened the front door and jumped back in surprise at the blue-haired figure waiting there.  
  
"Good morning," Rei said.  
  
"Rei?" Asuka asked, calming herself. "When did you get back?"  
  
"We landed an hour ago," Rei signed. "There is a council meeting we are to attend. It will start in one hour." Rei turned and walked to the stairs, intent on her own apartment.   
  
Asuka blinked, watching her walk away. "Um, okay...bye?"  
  
Rei paused, glancing over her shoulder. "Sorry," she signed, with a small, embarrassed smile. "I will see you later." With that, she disappeared down the staircase.  
  
"That girl..." Asuka mumbled to herself, shaking her head. "Hey Shinji, we're not leaving yet."  
  
She was answered with a loud thump. Turning around, she saw Shinji where he had fallen, sprawled out on the small couch. "I heard," he mumbled. "Wake me when it's time to go."  
  
Asuka stared at the boy as he slipped back into sleep. "Idiot," she growled, stomping back into the apartment.  
  
  
  
  
Seventy-five minutes later, the two teens slipped into the Council chamber, quickly taking seats next to their roommate.   
  
"You're late," Misato said.  
  
"Dork-boy here wouldn't wake up," Asuka said, jerking a thumb toward Shinji.  
  
"Sorry," he mumbled reflexively.  
  
Misato looked over at him with concern, noting his slumped posture and half-closed eyes. "Are you okay, Shinji?" she asked.  
  
He nodded. "I'm just tired from the activation test."  
  
"That was yesterday morning," Asuka said.  
  
"It took six hours," Shinji replied.  
  
Asuka shook her head. "What did we miss?" she asked Misato.  
  
Misato handed over her small flat panel display. "They're just reviewing the info that the Neb transmitted while it was still on its way back."  
  
"Did they really fight an Angel?" Asuka asked.  
  
Misato nodded. "It looks like they did." She waved a hand to silence Asuka's next question. "Now it's really getting started."  
  
Maya Ibuki rose from her seat, stepping up to face the Council. She rubbed her eyes, fighting off a yawn, and picked up her data pad.  
  
"Yesterday afternoon, crewmembers of the Nebuchadnezzar encountered a phenomena in the Matrix which was not of human or Machine origin. After examining the data we managed to collect on it, we have determined that it was an Angel, and have designated it the Sixth. Posthumously, of course," she joked.  
  
Her light smile faded as her jest was met with stony silence. "We only saw limited portions of the Angel's code though the Matrix feed, but it was enough to analyze the structure of its program. The code we saw was comparable to the information stored in the biologic data structures found in the Angels the Evangelions have destroyed.  
  
"Even though it was a program, it still had a core, just like the other Angels. Neo and Rei Ayanami were able to destroy the Angel by targeting its core. With the core code damaged, the Angel's program disintegrated."  
  
"Neo destroyed it?" one of the councilors asked.  
  
"Rei did," Maya replied. "She identified the core; Neo flew her to it so she could shoot it."  
  
"So who destroyed the Agent?" the councilor asked.  
  
"That was Neo," Maya replied.  
  
"Perhaps that is a topic for later," Commander Lock interjected from his seat.  
  
"How could an Angel get into the Matrix?" another councilor immediately asked.  
  
"We don't know, sir," Maya replied.  
  
That admission set off a buzz of conversation and shouted questions throughout the council chamber. "How can you be certain it was an Angel?" "If they're going after the Matrix, why do we need the Evas?" "Did you know this would happen?"   
  
Maya's eyes widened as she was overwhelmed with questions. Ritsuko stood up and laid a hand on her shoulder, signaling for the young tech to sit down. Maya did so gladly, tiredly dropping into her seat as Ritsuko tried to field the councilors' questions.  
  
Councilor Dillard pounded the table with her gavel, demanding order to be restored. The chairwoman glared at the councilors on either side of her, daring them to speak out of turn again.  
  
After the din had died down, she looked back to the Project staff. "Doctor Akagi, this incident raises questions that do need addressed. This Angel was some kind of program, correct?"  
  
Ritsuko nodded.   
  
"Which implies that there is a programmer who wrote it, correct?" Dillard asked.  
  
The blond's jaw worked as she considered her answer. "That is a possibility. There is some indication that the Angels we have fought were somehow manufactured. Where and how that might have happened is unknown."  
  
"Then perhaps we should reexamine the purposes of the Project. If there is an intelligence out there, we should attempt to communicate with it, not destroy its messengers."  
  
  
  
  
"We should reexamine the purposes of the Project," Asuka whined. She kicked a rock, seething with frustration as she watched it skip away. "Who does that woman think she is?"  
  
"She is Zion's political leader," Rei replied as she walked next to Asuka.  
  
"I know that!" Asuka snapped at her. "But she has no idea what she's talking about!"  
  
Rei responded, unfazed by the redhead's outburst. "The council has always watched the Project closely, and regularly made suggestions during its development."  
  
"Contacting the Angels is stupid, though."  
  
"Why?" Shinji asked, speaking for the first time since they had left the council session chamber.  
  
Asuka looked at as though she had forgotten he was there. "Because it is!" she said. "The Angels are trying to destroy the world, human and machine both."  
  
"We know that for certain?" he asked.  
  
Asuka frowned. "The First Angel attacked the machines without provocation. I don't think they're here to make friends."  
  
"But what if they are looking for a way to communicate. What if we could talk to them, get them to-"  
  
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Forget about it. The Evas exist to destroy the Angels, and that is what we will do." She glanced up at their apartment building, which they were rapidly approaching. "Come on, Misato's working late. Let's have some dinner."  
  
  
  
  
"Who does that woman think she is?" Misato fumed.  
  
"Calm down, captain," Ritsuko said as she walked up.  
  
Misato glared at her. "Don't you start with that."  
  
Ritsuko laughed, taking a seat next to the other woman. "Alright, Misato. But you don't need to get so worked up."  
  
"But they don't know what they're talking about," Misato said. "How could those councilors think we can communicate with the Angels?"  
  
"They're politicians," Ritsuko dryly replied. "They're supposed to second guess other people's work." She leaned closer to Misato, smiling conspiratorially. "We will, of course, take their suggestions into...consideration, and examine the possibility, however slight, of actually doing what they say."  
  
Misato nodded, smiling back. "Even though we won't actually do anything."  
  
"Right." Ritsuko turned to her console, pulling up screens of information. "But we don't even know how the Angels communicate."  
  
Misato leaned over, looking at Ritsuko's screens. "That's from the Sixth?"  
  
"Right. We saw pieces of its program through the Matrix feed. Our systems are still analyzing it, trying to decipher the code." Ritsuko leaned back in her seat, watching data flow across the screen. "Maybe this will give us some clues about the Angel's origins."  
  
"How did the Angel get into the Matrix?" Misato asked.  
  
Ritsuko shrugged. "I wish I knew. We might understand these creatures a little better if we did."  
  
  
  
  
Shinji walked into the classroom, and was immediately greeted by his friends.   
  
"Where were you yesterday?" Touji demanded as Shinji sat at his desk.  
  
"There was a council meeting we had to go to," he replied. "I would have rather been here, though. It was boring."  
  
Kensuke glanced around the room. "Where's Rei?" he asked.  
  
"You're not stalking her today?" Asuka asked, approaching the group.  
  
"Why, you...I don't...not...I..." Kensuke's face turned red with fury as his friends laughed. "Touji! Help me out here!"  
  
Touji grinned at Kensuke and shrugged. "Normally, I argue with Asuka just to argue with her. But even the devil is right sometimes." Touji laughed at the equally furious expressions Asuka and Kensuke directed at him. He was saved from verbal and physical violence by the professor's arrival.  
  
"Good morning class. We have a new student today." He glanced at the door. "Please, come in and introduce yourself."  
  
A bald teenager walked into the classroom, followed by Rei, who immediately went to her desk. Kensuke was still slouched down in his seat, muttering about "backstabbing so-called friends", but Touji noticed that several other boys in the class sat up straighter when the blue-haired girl arrived. A quiet "idiots" indicated that Asuka had noticed too.  
  
"Umm, I'm Stephen Tsujimoto," the newcomer said. "I was freed from the Matrix last week. Before I got out, I was a researcher studying AI systems."  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Tsujimoto," The professor said. "You can find a seat."  
  
  
  
  
Neo walked into the command center and looked around. Commander Lock and several other officers were crowded around a large table, examining several maps. Neo waited at a respectful distance while they spoke.  
  
"We'll deploy one APU squad on this hill," Mifune said, pointing to a spot on the map. "Another over here. The other squads will be with the work crews."  
  
"Keep two ships in the air at all times," Lock said. "The rest should be ready to evac everyone on the ground."  
  
"Will we stay up there during the night?" one of the officers asked.  
  
Lock shook his head. "I think it would be best to withdraw below the surface after dark. It's easy enough to come and go through the transport tunnel. We'll launch at six tomorrow morning."  
  
Most of the officers left the control center, leaving Lock and Mifune to review the maps. "He's here," Mifune said, nodding in Neo's direction.   
  
Lock glanced over his shoulder, nodding to him. Neo stepped up to the table, looking down at the maps. "You're going to the surface?" he asked.   
  
Mifune nodded. "That Angel up there was made of something similar to a titanium-steel alloy. We can salvage that material and use it."  
  
"For the Project?" Neo asked.  
  
"Among other things," Lock replied. He turned away from the table and walked through the control room. Neo fell in step beside him. "I called you here to talk about what you did during your last mission."  
  
"I've already said everything I know in my report," Neo replied. "And again before the council."  
  
"What I want to know," Lock said, "is what happens next?"  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"What will you do the next time you are in the Matrix?" Lock asked. "Destroy more Agents? Another Angel?"  
  
"I don't know, commander," Neo replied. "There's no plan, no guide for me to act from. I'm learning as I go."  
  
"If another Angel gets into the Matrix, could you destroy it?"  
  
"Perhaps."  
  
Lock turned and looked Neo in the eye. "Do you actually think you are 'the One'?" he quietly asked.  
  
Neo's jaw worked as he stared back at the commander. "I think that I can still learn to do more in the Matrix," he said.  
  
Lock sighed. "You've become quite popular, Neo. The people who believe the prophecy see you as some sort of messiah. They would do anything you asked of them."  
  
Neo shifted uncomfortably. "Not everyone believes in the prophecy," he pointed out.  
  
Lock nodded. "Some of them are starting to look to the Project, believing that those Evangelions, or the Angels, can win the war with the machines."  
  
"What do you believe?" Neo asked.  
  
"I believe in the Fleet," Lock replied. "I believe in my officers and my ships. I have no use for Angels or Prophecies."  
  
"And if either of those win the war?" Neo asked.  
  
"I will be pleasantly surprised," Lock replied.   
  
Neo smirked. "So will I, sir." His expression grew more serious. "I understand, Commander. Protecting Zion is the most important thing we can do. I will do everything I can to accomplish that."  
  
Lock nodded. "Good."  
  
  
  
  
"Captain Norstrom left me on watch as they slipped into the lab. We weren't concerned about Agents, but about regular cops showing up and causing trouble."  
  
Asuka glanced around the classroom as the Professor droned on. Nearly everyone else looked as bored as she felt. Rei was staring out of the window, while several of the boys were staring at her. Kensuke had apparently managed to launch some sort of game on his console, having broken the professor's software locks again.   
  
Even Shinji and Hikari were starting to look bored with the old man's stories, and they hadn't heard all of them yet. Only the new kid, Stephen, was paying attention, and he looked fairly confused.  
  
A soft snort drew her attention to Touji's desk. He sat with his elbow planted on his desk, with his cheek resting in his palm. He was snoring.  
  
A wicked grin crept across Asuka's face. Making sure that nobody was looking at her, she slid down in her seat. She stretched her leg out toward Touji's desk, ahead and to her left. With a quick, light kick she knocked his arm away. Touji's head hit the desk with a satisfying thump.  
  
Asuka snickered as he sat up, looking around the room and trying to figure out what happened. Everyone stared at him, most trying to hide their laughter.  
  
"Are you okay, mister Suzuhara?" the Professor asked.  
  
"Uh, yes sir, I think so," he replied, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"Well, why don't we go ahead and start today's exercise, then," he said.  
  
An excited buzz of conversation broke out in the classroom, and the Professor let the students talk for a moment.   
  
"This will be a search and retrieval project," he said. "Two member teams, and no interaction between groups. I'll give your team assignments in few minutes."  
  
  
  
  
Touji sat down in his link chair and looked at the girl in the next seat. "I guess we're a team," he said.  
  
"Yeah," Hikari replied. "What is this exercise?"  
  
"We'll be searching for something, a book, or a tape, or something," Touji explained. "And we have to do it on our own, the other teams won't be in the same Construct as us."  
  
"We'll be able to call the operator, right?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Of course. You never do anything without an operator," Touji replied.  
  
"You'd be blind and helpless without us," a new voice said.   
  
"You'd like to think so, Vijay," Touji replied.   
  
The young Native grinned. "You guys ready?" He picked up the link plug next to Hikari's seat and reached for the cloth that covered her head.  
  
The girl clamped her hands down on the cloth, turning away from the two boys. "Don't...don't look at me," she mumbled.  
  
"What?" Touji asked.  
  
"Don't worry about it," Vijay said. "We're used to this."  
  
"But I'm not," Hikari complained. "I'll never get used to it."  
  
"Actually, you are," Touji replied. "Your hair has been getting shorter each time you log in. Your self-image is adjusting to what you really look like."  
  
"You noticed?" Hikari asked.  
  
Touji laughed nervously. "Well, it's not like I've been checking you out a lot. I think you look fine either...um, I mean...Vijay! Get us jacked in right now!"  
  
Across the room, another team was preparing for the exercise. "So, which seat do you want?" Mouse asked his partner.  
  
Rei sat down in the nearer chair, lying back in the seat.  
  
"Are you comfortable, Rei?" Kensuke asked as he picked up the link plug.   
  
"Poor Rei, stuck with her fan club again," Asuka quipped from her operator seat. She laughed as Rei grabbed the link plug from Kensuke's hand, impatiently pushing it into place.  
  
At the next station, Stephen Tsujimoto blanched as he watched the girl shove the plug into her own head. "Do people get used to that thing?" he asked.  
  
"It gets less painful after a while," Shinji replied from the next seat.   
  
Shinji leaned back as Kelly stepped between their chairs, lifting his link plug from its cradle. She connected it to the plug on his skull, then turned to Stephen and flashed a brilliant smile.   
  
"Don't worry," she said, laying a hand on his forehead. "I'll be gentle." She plugged in his link, eliciting a small, nauseous groan from the teen.  
  
A moment later, all the teams were jacked into their Constructs. Asuka turned to Kelly, seated in the next station. "'I'll be gentle'?"  
  
Kensuke snickered as Kelly's ears turned red. The girl suddenly found her code displays very interesting.  


  


* * *

  
Author's notes: Bleh. Don't really like this chapter that much, though I guess it acomplishes what it needs to. The next few chapters should be pretty fun, though. Look for the next one in two weeks. As always, please C&C. 


	17. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: See Part III.   


Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Chapter 14

  


"I'll be gentle," Asuka echoed. "I'll be...gentle," she said again, with a low, sultry whisper. "I'll be so, so-"  
  
"Enough!" Kelly yelled, red faced. "Why aren't you jacked in?" she demanded.  
  
Asuka shrugged. "The professor said we were short an operator today. I got stuck on the outside." She leaned back in her seat, looking past Kelly to Kensuke. "I think she's trying to change the subject."  
  
"Obviously," Kensuke replied, adjusting his glasses.   
  
"Somebody's got a cru-ush," Asuka sang.  
  
"I do not!" Kelly protested. "I just..."  
  
"Yes?" Asuka asked, leaning toward Kelly. On Kelly's other side Kensuke did the same.  
  
Kelly's expression grew soft as she looked at the boy lying in his link chair. "He's been out for less than two weeks. He still looks overwhelmed by all of this."  
  
Asuka and Kensuke leaned back, frowning.  
  
"He's also pretty cute," Kelly thought out loud.  
  
"Ah HA!"  
  
"Wait, wait, I mean..."   
Inside the Construct, Shinji Ikari and Stephen Tsujimoto stared at the city that had appeared around them.   
  
"Are we in America?" Shinji asked.  
  
"New York," Stephen replied. "Is this real?"  
  
"It's a simulation," Shinji replied. "We use these for training. Though I've never been in an exercise in a place this large," he added, staring at the buildings that towered overhead, crowding the sky.  
  
"What are we supposed to do?"  
  
"We have to find something," Shinji said. He reached into his coat and produced a large envelope. "It could be a person, or an object we have to retrieve."  
  
Shinji tore the envelope open and poured its contents into his hand. "A key?"  
  
"That looks like a locker key," Stephen replied. "Where does it go?"  
  
Shinji shrugged. He reached into his pocket, retrieving his phone. Punching the speed dial, he called their operator.  
  
Kelly's cheerful tone answered after the first ring. "Operator, what's up?"  
  
"We need to know...well, what's going on," Shinji replied.  
  
"Right." Shinji heard typing as Kelly brought up the exercise information. "Okay," the operator began, "That key is for a drop that was used by another crew. They lost a package and couldn't retrieve it."  
  
"They lost it?" Shinji asked. "How?"  
  
"I don't know," Kelly replied. "The ship hasn't transmitted since making the drop. Go to the 34th and Penn Station and find out what they left in the drop."  
  
"Okay. Anything else?"  
  
"There's a high terrorism alert in the city," Kelly said.  
  
"Um...okay," was Shinji's confused replied.  
  
"That means there will be Agents."  
  
"Oh."   
  
"Good luck!"  
  
Shinji hung up his phone and pocketed it. He patted his jacket, making sure that his pistol was in its place. He quickly explained the mission to Stephen.  
  
Stephen nodded. "Should we take the subway?"  
  
Shinji glanced around, examining the nighttime crowd. "Yeah."  
  
The quickly found themselves on an empty subway car. Shinji sat down and drew his pistol. He checked the clip to make sure it was fully loaded, and chambered a round.  
  
Stephen, hanging onto an overhead rail, watched Shinji. "What are the Agents?" he asked.  
  
Shinji holstered his weapon. "They're programs. I saw them, once. They're...dangerous. They hunt the soldiers who go into the Matrix."  
  
"Morpheus said they killed my sister," Stephen said.   
  
Shinji glanced at Stephen in surprise, then looked down. "I'm sorry."  
  
Nothing more was said during the train ride. They reached the station and left the train, quickly finding the lockers. Shinji opened the locker and found a key card inside.  
  
"Hilton New York," he read.  
In a parallel Construct, Rei and Mouse had already reached the hotel. They walked slowly down the hallway, nerves tensed for a possible ambush.   
  
As they reached the designated room, Mouse turned his back to the door. He drew a pair of pistols and held them at his sides.   
  
Rei gently slid the keycard into the lock, and turned the doorknob. The door slid open, revealing only darkness. Rei drew her pistol and stepped in. Glancing each direction down the hall, Mouse backed in and closed the door.  
  
Inside, the room was only lit by city light filtering in around the edges of the curtains. The two teens quickly searched the room.   
  
"It doesn't look like anybody stayed here," Mouse said.  
  
Rei opened the drawer of the nightstand between the room's two beds. Inside was a small tape recorder. She took it out and pressed the play button.  
  
"This is Captain Gilliam of the Belshazzar. The Bell has been damaged by sentinels. We fought them off, for now, but we can't move. We came into the Matrix to attempt a drop; we've been gathering information on over a dozen potential recruits.   
  
"The info was stolen by a renegade program. He's called Alexi Gregor. He killed two of my crewmembers and stole all the data. Agents got the remainder of my officers. I lost the Agents, but I doubt I'll live long enough to get to an exit. Even if I do, the sentinels will be waiting for me.  
  
"Whoever's listening to this, you've got to get that info back. If it falls into the Agents' hands they'll destroy those kids. Kill Gregor, negotiate with him, just do what ever it takes so we can get them out."  
  
There was nothing more after that. Rei stopped the tape and put the recorder into a pocket.  
  
"Should I call Kensuke?" he asked.  
  
Rei nodded.  
Two seats away from the bespectacled operator, Asuka was relaying the same information to her own team. "This Gregor thinks he's a crime lord. He lives in Brooklyn, and owns numerous bars and clubs throughout the city."  
  
She typed in several commands, calling up the meager information that was provided about the renegade program. "You can most likely find him at the Grey Harbor, a bar on the east side."  
  
Asuka hung up on her team and leaned back, stretching her arms over her head and yawning.   
  
"You didn't tell them about the APB," Kensuke said.  
  
Asuka shrugged.  
  
"Or the fact that you sent them to a gangster bar, which won't welcome a couple of teenage boys," Kelly added.  
  
"I'm just trying to make it interesting," Asuka replied.   
  
"Are you trying to lose?" Kensuke asked.  
  
"No. If I was, I would have found a way to get the Agents' attention." She stifled a yawn. "I should be in there. Operating is boring."  
Under advice from their operator, Shinji and Stephen located the renegade program's home. Gregor lived in a loft apartment over a warehouse he owned, reportedly used to move assorted contraband into the city. Such activities were irrelevant to Zion's soldiers, and the program was normally ignored by Agents as well.   
  
The two teens warily approached the building. The apartment was dark, but there were guards inside the warehouse. The two exchanged a brief glance, silently agreeing to avoid a confrontation.   
  
They slipped behind the warehouse, finding stacks of huge shipping containers. The two leapt up them, ascending ten feet with each jump. A final leap, and they were on the roof.  
  
"What do we do now?" Stephen whispered.  
  
Shinji glanced around slowly, noting several skylights in the roof. He walked to the nearest one and looked down. The apartment below was empty, and cast in deep shadows.  
  
Shinji's instincts screamed at him to leave, contrasting the training that said he could easily get in. He wavered on indecision for a moment, before slowly drawing his pistol.   
  
He kneeled down and opened the skylight. Without a word, he dropped into the apartment, landing in a crouch in the center of a spacious living room. He held his breath, waiting for the inevitable ambush. When none came, he rose, stepping out from under the opening.   
  
Stephen dropped down, landing heavily. Shinji spun around as the loud thump echoed through the apartment.  
  
"Sorry," Stephen whispered. He stood upright and looked around the room.  
  
Shinji pulled out his cell phone and called the operator. "What are we looking for?"  
Kelly glanced over mission data. "Captain Gilliam favors physical representations. Look for a folder, or a book."   
  
Shinji thanked her, and Kelly disconnected. She glanced at the operator consoles on either side of her. "How are you guys doing?" she asked.  
  
Asuka grinned. "I've got my team involved in a pretty good bar fight."  
  
Kelly frowned. "That's not part of the mission."  
  
"I know, but it is funny."  
  
Kelly sighed and looked to her left. "Kensuke?"  
  
The boy glanced at her. "They're at the bar, too, but we're going to be a little more subtle."  
  
"How so?" Kelly asked.  
  
"This Gregor has, um...tendencies, which Rei can try to exploit to get close to him."  
  
"What?" Kelly asked.  
  
Asuka understood what he had implied. "Pervert."  
  
"Hey, it was her idea," Kensuke replied. "Who writes these programs, anyway?"  
  
"Someone at the Fleet HQ," Kelly replied. "I think." She typed another command on her keyboard, brining up more information on a secondary screen.  
  
Asuka glanced over at the info. "Kensuke, did you forget to mention something?"  
  
Kensuke smirked. "I'm just trying to make it interesting," he said. With a press of a button, his secondary displays loaded the image translators, creating a video image of his team, complete with audio.  
The entrance to the Grey Harbor was guarded by a pair of large bouncers. Both men wore short-sleeves in defiance of the chilly evening weather, exposing tattoo-covered arms.  
  
Rei pulled her hood tight over her head, concealing her unusual hair color. The guards sneered at the glasses-wearing teens as they approached.  
  
"Beat it," one said. "No kids allowed."  
  
Mouse stepped forward, glaring up at the men. "We're here to see Gregor." He turned his head slightly, in Rei's direction. "We have business with him."  
  
The guards glanced between the two. "Go up the stairs in the kitchen," one said. "He'll be waiting."  
  
Their senses were assaulted as soon as they entered the club. The packed crowed gyrated to the heavy beat the DJ laid down. The acrid smell of cigarettes and sweat stung their noses. Lasers and strobe lights flashed in their eyes, blinding them with brilliant afterimages.  
  
The two pushed their way through the crowd, eventually reaching the bar. They slipped past it and into the kitchen, finding the stairs they were directed to.   
  
Another guard was waiting for them at the top. "Follow me," he said gruffly. Unlike the two bouncers, Rei was certain that this one was a program.  
  
He opened a heavy wood door, ushering them into a massive, opulent office. Thick carpet and rich wood paneling helped reduce the music from below to a dull thump, felt more than heard.  
  
The office was dimly lit. Another guard stood inside the door, which the first closed. Across the room, two men were seated in high backed chairs.  
  
"Come in, my friends," one said. "Please, join me. I understand that you would like to conduct business."  
  
"Yes, we would," said Mouse.  
  
The man leaned forward. He was heavy set, with thin gray hair and malicious eyes. "Well, step forward and let me look at you."  
  
Rei did as he asked, stepping forward and pulling her hood down. She removed her sunglasses, and fixed the man with her brilliant red eyes.  
  
Gregor stared at her, surprised by her unnatural hair and eyes. He blinked a few times, regaining control of his features. "I apologize for my rudeness," he said. "But I did not mean for you to step forward." He turned toward Mouse. "I meant him."  
  
Rei glanced over her shoulder at her partner. His eyebrows had shot far above the top of his sunglasses frame.  
  
"Him?" he echoed.  
Kensuke, Asuka, and Kelly burst into laughter as a look of horror crept over Mouse's face. Even with the limited color resolution of the image screens, they could see the blood draining from his face. It was even funnier to them when his body, lying in the link chair, did the same thing.  
  
Kensuke gleefully banged away on his keyboard. Seconds later, still images of Mouse appeared on their screens. "I'm a bad person," Kensuke grinned.  
  
"He's going to kill you when he gets out," Asuka said, still laughing.  
"I'm going to kill him when I get out," Mouse hissed. He was not laughing.  
  
Behind him, the guards shifted warily. Mouse spun around, drawing his pistols. He put a pair of bullets into each of the programs, dropping them before they could draw their own weapons.  
  
Gregor and his partner both leapt to their feat, going for their own weapons. Rei jumped forward, lashing out at Gregor with a foot. He flew back into his chair, tumbling it backwards as Rei spun in mid air. Her other foot lashed out the other man, sending him crashing down on the coffee table. The table broke, but not before snapping his neck.  
  
Rei landed on the ground with her back to Gregor, her pistol out and pointed back at the program, who lay still on the ground. Mouse stepped next to her as she rose, pointing his own weapons at Gregor.  
  
The program found himself trying to stare down three different barrels.   
  
"Now, where are Captain Gilliam's files?" Rei asked.  
  
Gregor's eyes widened as he heard the question from lips that didn't move. "You're rebels," he whispered.  
  
"What was your first clue?" Mouse sneered.  
  
"You won't get it," Gregor said. "I've got it stored away at my home. Converted, to data. You rebels can't access everything."  
  
"We don't have to," Mouse said. He pulled the trigger of his right gun. Gregor screamed as his kneecap was shattered.  
  
"You'll get it for us," Mouse said.  
  
"Forget it," Gregor hissed.  
  
"I've always wondered why programs fell pain," Mouse said, looking thoughtful. "And how much of it they can take."  
  
"A lot more than a human can," Gregor replied, trying to sit up.  
  
Mouse shoved him back down with a boot to the chest. "I have plenty of ammo," he replied.  
Kensuke winced as Mouse fired again.  
  
"He's really mad," Kelly said.  
  
They watched as Mouse reloaded his pistol. He had emptied the previous clip next to the program's head, inflict at least temporary deafness in his ear.  
  
"He's going to kill me when he gets out," Kensuke remarked.  
Shinji searched through the apartment, trying to find some clue about the missing information. He had already searched every cabinet, opened every book, and even looked into the hidden safe thanks to a safe-cracking program Kelly uploaded, but he still hadn't found any hint of the stolen information.  
  
Stephen, meanwhile, had sat at the computer, searching though its hard drives for suspicious information. He soon stumbled on a surprising file.  
  
"Hey, Shinji, come here."  
  
Shinji crossed the large living room, leaning over Stephen's shoulder to look at the screen. "What is it?"  
  
"I don't think our friend is running a standard operating system here." Stephen moved the mouse and clicked a green icon. The screen immediately went dark, and green code began scrolling down from above.   
  
"The Matrix?" Shinji asked.  
  
"Could it be?" Stephen asked.   
  
"I don't know," Shinji replied. He pulled out his cell phone and pressed talk, enabling the speaker function at the same time.  
  
"Operator," Kelly said.  
  
"Are you seeing this?" Shinji asked.  
  
"You've tapped directly into the Construct code," Kelly said. "How?"  
  
"It was already on this computer," Stephen said.  
  
"I see," Kelly replied. They heard her typing for a moment. "It looks like this thing has a connection to the Matrix itself. Or would, if you were in the Matrix," she added. "It's a data structure, a way to store info where no human in the Matrix could possibly reach."  
  
"Could the missing data be here?" Shinji asked.  
  
"Maybe. Let me hack in and see what's there."  
  
"How can you hack this?" Stephen asked. "Isn't it encrypted?"  
  
"Yeah, but there are ways to get around that," Kelly replied. "I could show you some time, if you like."  
  
"That's not all she'll-" another voice spoke up, and was quickly cut off as Kelly placed her hand over her microphone.   
  
There were several muffled, unintelligible exchanges before she spoke to them again.  
  
"Sorry. I found our missing data. I've copied it to the local system, and have deleted it from Gregor's files. You guys can head to the exit, we're done."  
Rei stepped through the door and looked around briefly. There was no one in short hallway. She nodded back to Mouse, who followed her out of the room. He closed the door, shutting an unconscious Gregor and three dead guards inside.   
  
"You sure this will work?" Mouse asked.  
  
Rei nodded. "I believe that he was telling the truth." She glanced over at the boy. "Do you feel better now?"  
  
Mouse nodded. "Yeah."  
  
"Are you still going to kill Kensuke?"  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
They were halfway down the stairs when sudden shouts stopped them.  
  
"Police!" a voice screamed. It was followed by bursts of automatic gunfire.   
  
"Go!" Mouse said. They turned and fled back up the stairs, rounding the corner as a SWAT officer reached the base of the steps.   
  
The two charged back into Gregor's office. Rei ran to a window and opened it. Leaning out she saw numerous cops in the alley below.   
  
"Fire escape," Mouse said, pointing to the building across the alley. He planted one foot on the windowsill and leapt out, grabbing onto the rail twenty feet away. As soon as he had climbed over, Rei leapt after him.  
  
SWAT officers flooded into the room as she went. One rushed to the window, weapon raised, only to see the teens disappear onto the other building's roof. "Two suspects fleeing on the rooftops," he said into his radio. "We have suspects already down in here."  
  
"Roger," came the reply. "Airborne unit will pursue."  
  
Overhead, a helicopter spotlight shone down, illuminating Rei and Mouse.   
  
Mouse drew both his pistols, firing at the aircraft. The spotlight shattered, returning darkness to the rooftop as the helicopter rose and backed away.  
  
"We must go," Rei said. She turned and ran for the edge of the roof, leaping across the street and onto another building, landing lightly. Mouse followed, landing harder and rolling forward. Both sprinted forward, jumping to the next building.  
  
Mouse's phone rang, and he drew it as he ran.  
  
"Agents!" Kensuke warned.  
  
Mouse stuffed the phone back in his pocket. "We're in trouble," he shouted to Rei.  
  
"Follow me," she replied. Rei stepped off the edge of the roof, dropping to the alley three stories below.   
  
Mouse landed next to her, ready to run again. To his surprise, Rei calmly walked out of the alley, pulling her hood into place over her hair. Mouse followed her out and around the corner. He almost ran again as a heavy thump echoed out of the alley they had just left.  
  
Instead, Rei gently pulled him into a small restaurant. They quickly found a table in a dark corner and sat. Mouse saw two Agents sprint past the front windows. He choked on a sigh of relief, though, as a third agent stepped up to the glass, staring intensely into the restaurant.  
  
After a moment he turned away, following after his companions.   
  
Mouse finally relaxed, letting out a long breath. A waitress walked up to the table, asking for their order.  
  
Mouse looked at Rei, who shrugged. He glanced around the room, trying to determine what kind of restaurant they were in. "Uh, we'll have two colas, and a pepperoni pizza," he said.  
"Aw, that's cute," Kelly cooed. "It's like they're on a date or something."  
  
"I'm going to kill him," Kensuke growled as he stared at the screens.  
  
"I think somebody's jealous," Asuka smirked as she disconnected her teammates' link plugs. Both had been killed by Agents. They immediately began to complain about "lack of support" and "insufficient information", only to be lectured back about real soldiers having the ability to succeed with no information whatsoever.  
  
Ignoring the ranting, Kelly logged her teammates out. The professor walked over as she unplugged their cables. "Congratulations," he said. "You're done first. No Agent interaction, no confrontations, zero unnecessary civilian casualties; a perfect score." He stepped back and raised his voice, addressing the entire room. "You are all free to leave as soon as you're done. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
Several other students gathered around the winning team. Most of the class was still in the middle of the exercise, and the professor had returned to his desk to monitor their progress.   
  
Shinji was surprised to see Touji and Hikari approaching. "You're done?" he asked.  
  
Touji shrugged. "We got caught in the police raid on the club. I tried to fight through the SWAT types and get at that Gregor guy first, but Agents showed up. You know what happens after that."  
  
Shinji nodded. "Is that how you got that bruise?" he asked, pointing to a purple mark on the side of Touji's forehead. "Some kind of carry over from the Construct."  
  
"No," said Vijay, who had operated for Touji. "He did that after I disconnected him. He somehow managed to plant his face into the back of Hikari's link chair. I think he was-mrrf." Touji wrapped Vijay in a headlock, clamping the boy's face into his own side.   
  
"I slipped," he said, in a tone that said he would not allow argument.  
  
"Yeah right," Asuka replied. "You may be an idiot, but I don't believe that. You were trying to look down Hikari's sweater, right?"  
  
Touji's eyes widened in fury. He dropped Vijay, who gasped for air. "That idea never even occurred to me!" he yelled defensively.  
  
"Only because you're too dumb to think of it," Asuka replied.  
  
"But you did think of it," Touji shot back. "So who's the pervert here?"  
  
Stephen took an unconscious step back from the two, as did everyone else. Seeing his confused expression, Kelly patted him on the arm. "Just sit back and watch the drama," she said.  
  
"And watch out for flying furniture," Shinji added.  
Far away, on the cold surface of what used to be Ontario, a meteor smashed down, vaporizing several acres of the great glacier that covered much of the northern regions of the world.   
  
A unit of maintenance machines was dispatched, to check on the status of a substation that was only a few dozen miles from the point of impact. Their last transmission was quickly relayed to Zion.  
"I can't believe you stopped for pizza," Asuka grumbled for the sixth time.   
  
"It's not like they really ate it," Shinji said.  
  
Asuka glared at him. "If I kicked you while we were jacked in, it would hurt, right?"  
  
"Right," Shinji agreed.  
  
"It's the same thing. They may not have actually eaten anything, but it tasted good."  
  
"It was not very good," Rei signed. "The pizza was very greasy."  
  
"That doesn't matter," Asuka replied. "It must have been better than most of what we have here. And another thing..." she trailed off as she realized she was walking alone.  
  
She turned back and saw Shinji and Rei staring past her, into the depths of the Geofront. "What?" she asked, turning around.  
  
They were standing on the crest of a small ridge that ran through the city, giving a good view of the north and east of the Geofront. At the Project Center, more than a mile away, one of the great transports was settling onto the loading dock over one of the Evangelion bays.  


* * *

Author's notes: Well, I like this chapter a lot more than the last one. I hope all of you do, as well. 

And in case you missed the blatantly obvious hints, there will be an Angel battle in the next chapter. Look for it in two weeks.


	18. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: See Part III.

Evangelion:  
Deus Ex Machina  
  
Chapter 15

  
  
Ritsuko clutched a handrail as the Casper lurched again. "We've got to drop the Evas before we crash," she said.  
  
Misato frowned. "We're not there yet."  
  
"We're close enough!" Ritsuko retorted.  
  
"Tank, turn us into the wind and open the bay," Misato ordered.  
  
"Roger," he replied form the cockpit. The hovercraft banked left, turning directly into the howling storm. Presenting a smaller profile to the wind, Tank was able to manage a steady hover. A few hundred yards away, the Balthasar did the same.  
  
Evangelion Units 01 and 02 were lowered from the ships. The two Evas hung in the air for a moment as their systems were activated.  
  
"I can't see anything," Shinji said.  
  
"Switch to thermal imaging," Asuka told him.  
  
"The Angel's AT field is extremely strong," Misato told them. "Neutralize it, and the Balthasar will destroy it with the Particle Cannon.  
  
"Roger," both pilots replied.  
  
The clamps holding the Evas to the transports released. The two behemoths slid off their support rails, plummeting to the surface. They slammed down on the icy ground, filling the snow-laden air with even more ice and snow.  
  
Shinji waited for it to clear a little before he began to move. "Where is it?" he asked as he approached Unit 02.  
  
"Turn east," Misato said. "It's about twelve thousand meters away."  
  
The two Evas moved forward, easily making their way through the fierce winds. The great, lumbering bulk of the Angel soon appeared through the storm, walking on short, stubby legs. It stood taller than the Evas, and was more than triple their mass. There were no discernable features on the creature. Huge, sloping shoulders tapered down to narrow forearms that ended at a dull point. No head sat atop the torso, and only a red core shone out of its chest.  
  
"Why did we rush out to fight this thing?" Asuka asked. "Look how slow it moves. We could have waited a week, and it would still be in the middle of nowhere."  
  
"We're here now, Asuka," Misato said. "Move in and neutralize the AT Field."  
  
"Copy," Asuka sighed. "Come on Shinji, let's get this over with. I'm getting cold already."  
  
Shinji glanced at the small image of the girl, displayed on his left. "How could you be cold? We're inside the Evas."  
  
"When your sync ratio is as high as mine, you can feel these things from the Eva," Asuka said.  
  
"My score's not that far from yours," Shinji grumbled.  
  
"Enough chatter, you two," Misato said. "You should be close enough. Expand your AT Fields."  
  
The two Evas spread apart, taking positions a hundred meters from either side of the Angel. The pilots focused, willing the machines to generate their Fields.  
  
The Angel stopped as it felt the sudden assault on its barrier. It turned toward one Eva, then the other, examining them with invisible eyes. It turned on Unit 02 and swung an arm at the Eva.  
  
Asuka had no difficulty dodging the clumsy attack, stepping back and watching the Angel stumble as its swing took it off balance. "Ooh, too slow," Asuka mocked.  
  
"Just focus, pilot," Misato said. "The field's not coming down."  
  
"Shinji, help me out here," Asuka growled.  
  
"I'm trying," he said. Shinji had put his entire focus into the AT Field, driving it with a surprising force of will. He could already sense the Angel's Field degrading under his. A moment later, he became aware of Unit 02's AT Field, distorting the Angel's Field, and his own as well.   
  
"Don't fight me," Asuka said, straining to speak.  
  
It took great effort for Shinji to reply. "I'm not. Just...have to..."  
  
"Focus," Asuka whispered.  
  
Their AT Fields suddenly merged, balancing and enhancing each other. The Angel's Field dissolved immediately.  
  
"Balthasar, fire!" Misato ordered.  
  
Aboard the second transport, Dozer turned the ship toward the Angel, pushing closer to compensate for the wind that was buffeting it. The particle cannon quickly began to charge, heating the whole ship as it did so.  
  
The brilliant beam lanced out, striking the Angel at its 'waist'. Dozer pulled the ship's nose up slightly, bisecting the Angel with the beam.  
  
Shinji and Asuka backed away as the Angel broke in two, each half falling toward one of the Evas.  
  
Asuka sighed. "Well, that was eas-"  
  
Two pillars of fire erupted from the Angel's remains. Both Evas staggered backwards as the heat and light overloaded their thermal sensors.  
  
Shinji barely had time to scream before he was attacked. He had a brief glimpse of a smaller, leaner version of the Angel charging him, before it impaled him on the vicious claws at the end of its arm.  
  
Asuka barely noticed 01 as it toppled to the ground. She was frantically trying to find a visual mode that would let her see her assailant. The residual heat had rendered thermal mode useless, and the ice and debris interfered with the rest of her options.  
  
To her credit, Asuka did manage to avoid several attacks before she, too, fell to the Angel.  
  
  
  
  
"Pathetic," Misato growled. She paced through the Casper's small conference room, crossing the length of the room in a dozen steps. "We could have done better. A lot better."  
  
"If he had handled his opponent," Asuka said angrily, pointing at Shinji, "We might have stood a chance. I had both those things on me instantly."  
  
Shinji had been staring down at the table, silently mulling over the battle. Having his defeat thrown into his face infuriated him. "That thing exploded in my face. I was blinded, and never saw that thing coming. If somebody had warned me, I might have had a chance."  
  
"Don't blame me for your stupidity," Asuka shouted. She slammed her fists on the table, rising to glare down at Shinji. "Its not my job to hold your hand out there!"  
  
Shinji jumped to his feet, shouting back. "Its your job to cover my back!"  
  
"ENOUGH!" Misato roared. Both teens immediately dropped back into their seats, specifically looking at anything but each other. "The Angel is destroyed. We'll go home and sort this out later."  
  
"It's not destroyed," Ritsuko said, entering the room.   
  
"What?" Misato asked. "The machines hit it with an N2 mine. It had no AT Field to protect it."  
  
"Neither did the Evas, but they survived that blast," Ritsuko replied. "And we have the Sentinels to thank for digging them out of the ice afterwards."  
  
"Great, I'll send a basket of fruit for Christmas," Misato snorted. "How did the Angel survive?"  
  
"Barely. The two halves were severely damaged. They're merging together again, back into the full Angel. And it's protected by an AT Field more powerful than we've ever seen. There's no way any of the machines' weapons would harm it now."  
  
"Can't we take out the AT Field again?" Asuka asked.  
  
"Maybe. If the Evas were in working condition, which they're not."  
  
"How long until it regenerates?" Misato asked.  
  
"Six days," Ritsuko replied. "We have six days to fix the Evas and figure out how to destroy the Angel."  
  
"What about Unit 00?" Shinji asked. It had been severely damaged in the battle with the Fifth Angel, a month before. He knew it had to be virtually rebuilt, but didn't know how long that was supposed to take.  
  
"There's still too much to do," Ritsuko replied. "We can fix 01 and 02 faster than we can complete 00."  
  
"Doesn't mean Rei won't be on the next attack mission," Misato commented, eyeing each of the present pilots. Shinji immediately slouched further down in his seat, trying to escape her withering gaze. Asuka challenged Misato's glare with her own, only to discover a depth and intensity she didn't know the woman possessed.  
  
When Asuka finally looked away, Misato stood. "Go to your cabins and get some rest," she told the teenagers. "We'll be in Zion in the morning."  
  
  
  
  
Shinji lay on his bed, staring at the bottom of the bunk above him. The other three bunks were empty; he had this room to himself. The dull hum of the ship's hover pads filled the room, a comfortable quiet, and yet not absolute silence.  
  
Shinji's body begged for sleep, but it would not come. Every time he closed his eyes he saw the burning explosion, and his body remember the pain of being engulfed in fire.   
  
Shinji rolled over, pulling the blanket tighter around his body. He willed himself to forget the sensations his Eva had shared; of being pierced by huge claws, of being crushed by the machines' N2 weapon, and struggling in the ice as he waited for his batteries to run down.  
  
A quiet knock caused him to stop moving. "Come in," he said, sitting up. The door cracked open, admitting a young redhead. "Asuka?"   
  
"You're awake for once," she commented. She stepped into the room and sat down on the bunk across from Shinji's. "I'm here to warn you. I'm not going to be removed from the mission."  
  
"What?" Shinji asked sleepily.  
  
"Rei's not going to replace me," Asuka said. "You had better be prepared to fight for your place on the next assault."  
  
Shinji sat upright, turning to face Asuka directly. "Her Evangelion isn't fixed yet."  
  
"That doesn't matter," Asuka said. "She used 01 before you got here. If you had come to Zion before the first battle, you would have been assigned to 00."  
  
"Oh," Shinji remarked. "I think I heard about that." He pitched over, suddenly unable to sit upright. He adjusted his head on his pillow and pulled the blanket close to his chin. "What happens next?"  
  
"Training, I think," Asuka replied. "They'll probably try to create some strategy to defeat the Angel once it's moving again. We'll have to be ready for anything..." Asuka trailed off as Shinji began to snore. She glared down at the boy. "Lazy jerk," she mumbled. Turning around, she left the room, gently closing the heavy metal door.  
  
  
  
  
The transports arrived in mid-morning, Zion time. Both Evangelions were immediately swarmed with Project technicians and engineers, rapidly beginning repairs on the two behemoths.   
  
Misato, Ritsuko, and the command crews from the two transports were rushed into a conference with Commander Fuyutsuki and several Councilmen.   
  
Shinji leaned on the railing overlooking the Eva pit, watching as a huge plate of damaged armor was removed from Unit 01's torso. A massive joist hauled the piece up. Shinji watched as it passed directly before him. The Angel's claws had left holes large enough for a grown man to walk through.  
  
Shinji stared back down at the Eva, lost in thought. He stayed that way for several minutes, slowly realizing that he was no longer alone.   
  
He glanced over to find Rei standing a few feet away, looking down at the Eva. One hand rested lightly on the rail, occasionally tapping it with a finger. A slight frown played across her lips as her red eyes examined the damaged Unit.  
  
Shinji realized he was staring when Rei glanced over at him. "Sorry," he said, quickly looking away. More of the damaged armor had been removed, revealing the Eva's internal components.  
  
"That looks like a core!" Shinji exclaimed.  
  
Next to him, Rei nodded. She waited for Shinji to turn towards her, and began to explain. "The Evangelions were built from an Angel. Like the Angels, they are living machines."  
  
"If the Eva's core is destroyed, will it die?" Shinji asked.  
  
Rei nodded.   
  
Shinji frowned, noticing how close the punctures were to the red sphere. Ten feet higher, and the Angel would have hit it.  
  
"...and make sure you fix the paint job, too!"  
  
Shinji turned around to see Asuka riding a lift out of 02's pit, leaning precariously over the side to shout at the technicians working on her Eva.  
  
Asuka turned and walked to the other two pilots, shaking her head. "Some of those techs seem to think the Evas will fix themselves," she grumbled. She stopped next to Shinji and glanced down at 01. "You did worse than I thought," she quipped.  
  
Shinji's head lowered, resting his forehead on the rail before him. He began a long, slow sigh, only to choke on it as Asuka slapped him squarely on the back.  
  
"Get over it," she chided. "You lived to fight another day." Asuka glanced over at Rei. "Shouldn't you still be in school?"  
  
"The professor excused me when I told him your ships had returned, and I may be needed here," Rei replied.  
  
Asuka's eyes narrowed as she examined the girl. "Misato said the two of us won't be needed today. And even if we were, there's no reason for you to be here."  
  
"I believed it was possible that my presence would be need today," Rei signed.  
  
Asuka examined her suspiciously. "Rei, are you skipping school?" she asked, starting to smile. "I'm impressed. Never thought you had it in you." She pushed off the rail, walking away from the Evangelion bays. "Let's go get some lunch."  
  
  
  
  
While the three young pilots enjoyed a quiet, school-less afternoon, the scientists and technicians were hastily analyzing data from the battle, and trying to devise a strategy to defeat the Angel.  
  
The Project Center's main briefing room was soon crowded, as councilors, captains, and every self-professed tactician came to offer their aid in the Project E's hour of need. The senior members of the Project soon retreated to a smaller conference room, leaving lower ranking techs to sort through the myriad suggestions, from combat techniques to exotic weapon ideas, for something that could help.  
  
Any idea that seemed useful was then shunted to another group of senior techs. This small group simply reviewed the idea for merit, and made sure that it hadn't been suggested already.   
  
After a few hours, there were no new ideas being presented.  
  
Thorough analysis of the battle data revealed that the two "half-Angels" shared some sort of energy link between their core halves. How that happened was beyond the detection of their sensor systems, leading Ritsuko and some others to speculate on higher dimensional link between the two pieces. Asuka had put up a decent fight, and managed to land several strikes on the core of one of the attackers. Every time her Evangelion struck it, there was a response in both cores. Energy seemed to diminish in the unaffected core, flowing to the other to reinforce it.  
  
It was late in the night when Tank let himself into the small conference room, accompanied by Neo. "We might have a plan," Tank announced.  
  
Commander Fuyutsuki looked up wearily as they entered. "Go ahead."  
  
Tank moved around the table, pointing to one of the screens displaying readings from the battle. "When the machines dropped their big bomb, both of the Angel cores took the same amount of damage, and it looked like they were almost destroyed."  
  
Ritsuko sighed and rubbed her temples, trying to alleviate the nagging headache that had developed. "We've been over that already. If both the cores are hit at the same time with the same force, they might be destroyed." She leaned back and glared at Tank. "This has been suggested a dozen times already. But the Evas, the Balthasar, and the N2 weapon couldn't do it."  
  
"The weapon used is not important," Neo said, stepping forward.  
  
"What do you mean?" Misato asked.  
  
"It's all about the timing," he added, smiling.  
  
  
  
  
Shinji and Asuka blearily stumbled into lab, followed by a far too perky Misato. "We're here!" she announced to the present technicians.  
  
"Great," Ritsuko mumbled, wondering how the other woman could appear so alert when she, like the rest of them, had stayed up all night programming the Construct.   
  
"Why are we here?" Asuka asked, an irritated edge to her tired voice.   
  
"Training," Ritsuko replied.  
  
"For?" Asuka demanded, her eyes narrowing.   
  
"Beating the Angel," Ritsuko replied, quickly draining her mug. She motioned to a tray next to her, holding several mugs and a pot of coffee. Though it was grown in greater quantities every year, coffee was still a scarce commodity in Zion.   
  
Misato eagerly helped herself, pouring mugs for the two young pilots as well. "We've developed a plan to defeat the Angel. You two will be required to train here for the next four days while your Evas are repaired. On the fifth morning, we leave Zion for the battlefield."  
  
Asuka quickly drank the hot, bitter liquid, trying not to gasp as it burnt her tongue and throat. "So what do we have to suffer through?" she grumbled.  
  
"Jack in and ask your instructor," Misato said. She pointed the two Children to link chairs, and connected them once they sat down. Ritsuko quickly jacked them into the Construct as Misato sat down beside her.  
  
"Do you think this will work?" the blond asked. The only response she received was a quiet snore.  
  
  
  
  
The Construct appeared around Shinji and Asuka. They gasped at the great, black void that surrounded them, lacking features, lacking light, seemingly lacking air itself. Even the ground they felt beneath their feet was invisible.  
  
The only thing they could see was the other. Instead of their usual Matrix clothing, they wore the plug suits used in the Evangelions.  
  
"What's going on?" Shinji asked.  
  
Asuka shrugged. She turned slowly, rotating on her heel to look in all directions. "There's nothing here," she said.   
  
Several minutes passed as the two pilots continued to look around, trying to discern any features in the surroundings. "This is pointless," Asuka finally declared.   
  
"Is it?" a voice asked.   
  
The pilots turned toward the voice, but saw nothing. Instead, there was the sound of footsteps. They waited as the steps grew closer, until a figure emerged from the curtains of darkness.  
  
"So what's the deal, Neo?" Asuka immediately demanded.  
  
Neo took a few more steps, stopping a dozen feet from the pilots. He was dressed in black slacks and a black shirt, his usual long coat and glasses absent. He looked to Asuka. "Are you sure this room is empty?" he asked.  
  
"I don't see anything here," Asuka replied.  
  
"Shinji?" Neo asked, turning to face the boy.  
  
"I can't see anything either," he replied.  
  
Neo nodded solemnly. "That is the way this was designed."  
  
"Why?" Asuka asked, folding her arms and frowning.  
  
"Do you know why you two, and Rei, are able to pilot an Evangelion?" Neo asked.   
  
"Because our minds are able to process the volumes of input from the Evas," Asuka quickly replied.  
  
"Right. But you've barely scratched the surface of your potential. In just a few months, Shinji has almost reached your level, Asuka."  
  
Asuka's frown deepened.   
  
"But you pulled off something incredible during the last battle," Neo continued. "I saw it in the data files from Unit 02. You had relied on the thermal imaging to see the Angel. After the explosion, that was temporarily useless. Instead of choosing another form of input, you looked at all of them."  
  
Asuka's expression slowly changed to surprise. "I did?"  
  
Neo smiled. "I didn't think you had realized it. Once the Angel attacked, you fell back to standard visual. But you were on the right track.  
  
"What we will do for the next four days is train your minds, expand your comprehension to the point where you recognize and respond to all input."  
  
Neo turned and took a few steps away from the teens. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a PDA. Pressing its surface, he turned to face the pilots again. "For your first lesson, we will try to duplicate Asuka's achievement against the Angel. This is a special program we're in. Your eyes are not your own; you can see everything that an Eva could.   
  
"So, what can you see?"  
  
Shinji and Asuka glanced at each other, then turned in opposite directions. Several minutes passed as they strained to see something, anything, in the deep darkness.  
  
Finally, Asuka's temper flared. "What are we looking for?" she demanded, turning toward Neo.  
  
Neo smiled. "We'll start simple. Just look for basic shapes. You can see them, if you want to."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Asuka demanded. "You're asking something outrageous here..."  
  
Shinji took a few steps away, ignoring the redhead's rant. He was starting to sense something out there, sitting just beyond his comprehension. With a strong effort of willpower, his mind broke through.  
  
"I see it," he whispered.  
  
Asuka and Neo stopped arguing, turning to look at him. "What do you see?" Neo asked.  
  
"It's just a big sphere," Shinji said, "kind of far away. It's hot."   
  
Neo glanced down at his PDA, reading a line of code that ran down the right side of the small screen. "Right," he smiled. "You're looking into the infrared spectrum."  
  
Asuka stepped next to Shinji leaning around to look at his face. The boy's eyes were glazed and half lidded. Asuka tried to follow the direction he was looking, searching for what he saw. Suddenly, unexpectedly, she saw it to.  
  
"Whoa," she whispered.  
  
"That's one," Neo said. "Find the rest."  
  
  
  
  
Six hours later, the trio logged out of the construct. Asuka was the first to sit up, immediately gasping in pain.  
  
"What did you do to me?" she demanded.  
  
"Sorry," Ritsuko said. "The visual input program is still a little rough. We should have that taken care of in a few days."  
  
"A few days?!" Asuka exclaimed. "You can't expect us to suffer from this again."  
  
"It's not that bad," Shinji mumbled.  
  
"We don't have time to wait," Misato interjected, ignoring the boy. "The Angel will be regenerated in five days. If you don't want to do this," Misato smiled innocently, "I'm sure Rei will be willing to pilot Unit 02 for you."  
  
Asuka ground her teeth. "Fine!" she hissed, throwing herself back in the link chair.   
  
"Good," Misato replied. Asuka continued to glare at her from the chair. "Um...we're done for today. We'll start again tomorrow morning."  
  
Still grumbling, Asuka climbed down from the chair and marched toward the door. Shinji followed her out, to find Neo waiting for them.  
  
"You did good today, guys," he said.   
  
"Of course," Asuka replied. "What else would you expect of Evangelion Pilots?"  
  
Neo smiling. "Make sure you're ready for tomorrow," he said, walking away from the teens.  
  
  
  
  
The walk home had been silent, as the two teens retreated into their own thoughts. Asuka climbed to the building's roof while Shinji disappeared into the apartment. Neither seemed to notice when the other had separated.  
  
A half hour passed as Asuka stared silently at the subterranean city. She sat at the edge of the roof, her legs dangling into empty space, swinging lazily.  
  
Her quiet reverie was interrupted by a grunt from the ladder. "Asuka?" Shinji called.  
  
She turned to see Shinji's hand just above the top of the ladder, holding a metal bowl. Crossing the roof, she took the offered bowl, and turned back toward her vantage point.  
  
"Um...Asuka? A little help?"  
  
Turning around, Asuka saw another bowl held just above the roof. Sighing, she took the second bowl as well, holding it while Shinji climbed to the roof.  
  
"Thanks," he said, taking one of the bowls back from her. "I thought you would be hungry."  
  
Asuka inspected the bowl, taking a cautious sniff. The thick, dark stew offered a surprisingly enticing aroma.  
  
"It doesn't smell too terrible," Asuka said.  
  
"I did the best I could," Shinji said, smiling weakly. "There aren't a lot of ingredients available here."  
  
"Less for you to screw up then," Asuka quipped, between bites. Despite her protests, Shinji did note that she ate quickly.   
  
They ate in silence, watching as several ships came and went high overhead. Asuka set her empty bowl on the roof and slid closer to the edge, squinting at one of the ships as it landed on at the distant port.  
  
"Do you think we can do this?" Shinji asked.  
  
Asuka glanced over her shoulder. "Do what?"  
  
Shinji stood behind her, holding their empty bowls. "The training. Beating the Angel. Do you think we really can?"  
  
"Of course! Why do you think everybody's working so hard?" Asuka frowned. "Just follow my lead, and we'll kick that Angel back to where ever it came from."  
  
Shinji nodded, slowly turning away. He paused just before disappearing down the ladder. "There's more food in the kitchen, if you want it. I'll leave it on the stove for Misato."  
  
Asuka waited exactly three minutes before hurrying down the ladder. Shinji's door was closed, so Asuka helped herself to another bowl of stew.   
  
When Misato returned home, she found only a sink full of dirty dishes.

* * *

Author's notes:   
  
Well, after a mere five months, I have finally updated again. This chapter sat half finished, as all inspiration for it had left me. Which is ironic, as this part of the story was one I was most looking forward to when I began developing Eva-DEM.   
  
So, I set this aside, and worked sporadically on several other fic ideas, though none of those are ready to see the light of day, or ff.net, any time soon. When I finally did return to this story, my muse struck with full force, and words have been pouring onto the pages. The next two chapters are mapped out, though they might turn into three, depending on what happens.   
  
In short, look for another update next week!

(It looks like there were some problems with the formatting on the last few chapters. I'll fix those soon, as well.)


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